Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an Indian businesswoman, the self-made billionaire Founder and Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited (NSE: BIOCON), one of India's largest biopharmaceutical companies. Born in Bangalore, India, in 1953, her career is rooted in fermentation science and biotechnology.

Mazumdar-Shaw studied Zoology at Bangalore University (1973) and earned a Master's degree in Malting and Brewing from Federation University, Australia (1975). Her original career ambition was to become a brewmaster. Recognizing the lack of opportunities for women in brewing, her father suggested she pivot to biotech, leading to a foundational partnership.

• Biocon Limited (Founder & Executive Chairperson): The core publicly traded asset, a global leader in biopharmaceuticals (specializing in insulin, oncology, and autoimmune diseases).
• Biotech Pioneer: She founded the company in 1978 in her garage with Rs 10,000 (equivalent to $120).
• Brewmaster Background: She is one of the world's first female brewmasters by trade.
• Philanthropy: She is a Giving Pledge signatory and her foundation focuses on rural healthcare and primary education.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw founded Biocon in 1978 in her garage in Bangalore with Rs 10,000 seed capital. Her strategic genius was her commitment to fermentation-based biotechnology (initially producing industrial enzymes). In the 1990s, she successfully pivoted to biopharmaceuticals, developing and manufacturing recombinant human insulin and biosimilar drugs (a high-value global market).

Under her leadership, Biocon executed its successful IPO on the NSE (which was oversubscribed 33 times). Her structural contribution is immense: pioneering the biotechnology industry in India and providing affordable, essential biosimilar drugs globally. She is a Giving Pledge signatory and a Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur (France). Her wealth is secured by the colossal, long-term, stable profitability of the global biopharmaceutical and insulin market.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is a major global philanthropist and Giving Pledge signatory. Her structural social impact is tied to Biocon's role in providing affordable, essential biosimilar drugs and insulin to millions globally. Her Mazumdar Shaw Medical Centre (2009) provides high-quality cancer care in Bangalore.

Her structural contribution is tied to her role as a pioneer of Indian biotechnology and her commitment to rural healthcare and education (addressing systemic poverty).

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw maintains the professional, composed style of a technology executive. Her attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits or traditional Indian business attire. Her aesthetic reflects serious authority and stability, typical of a leader in the specialized biotechnology sector.

Residing in Bangalore, India, her luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from her multi-billion dollar fortune. Her life is dedicated to biotechnology innovation, philanthropy, and the long-term stewardship of the Biocon empire.