Early Life
Cyrus Soli Poonawalla was born on May 11, 1941, into a Parsi family in Pune, India. His father, Soli Poonawalla, was a horse breeder, and the family owned the Poonawalla Stud Farms. Cyrus attended The Bishop's School in Pune and later graduated from Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC).
Rise to Success
In 1966, at the age of 25, Cyrus Poonawalla founded the Serum Institute of India (SII) with the goal of producing affordable vaccines. The company initially focused on producing tetanus antitoxin and anti-snake venom serum. Over time, SII expanded its product range to include vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis, and influenza. Under his leadership, the Serum Institute became the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume.
Key Business Strategies
Poonawalla's business strategy focused on producing high-quality vaccines at affordable prices, making them accessible to a large population. This approach enabled SII to secure contracts with organizations like UNICEF and PAHO and expand its reach to over 140 countries. The Serum Institute's capacity to rapidly scale up production, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic with the Covishield vaccine, has been another key factor in its success.
Philanthropy
Beyond his business achievements, Cyrus Poonawalla is known for his philanthropic efforts in healthcare and education. He has contributed to infrastructure development in India and supported various charitable initiatives.
