Meet Adar Poonawalla, the force behind India’s fight with coronavirus

The Serum Institute is an integral part of India’s arsenal in its war against COVID

Published: January 18, 2021 16:08 Nilanjana Javed, Senior News Editor

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Cyrus Poonawalla founded the Serum Institute of India in 1966, which is now at the forefront of the COVID-19 fight in India. His is an unusual story of success. Image Credit: Insta/#cyruspoonawalla

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Poonawalla was not always into medicine, but the son of a horse breeder was passionate about helping people and it translated into a company that’s focused on vaccines, on preventing ailments. Image Credit: Insta/#cyruspoonawalla

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Cyrus Poonawalla is the awardee of an honorary degree of the Doctor of Science by the University of Oxford in the UK. Image Credit: https://www.seruminstitute.com/

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Under his U.K.-educated son Adar, Serum's CEO, the company has joined the race to produce a Covid-19 vaccine with an $800 million investment. Image Credit: Insta/adarpoonawalla

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Today Serum produces more than 1.5 billion doses of vaccines every year. Under his son Adar’s direction, the company is now involved in the global war against the novel coronavirus – they have made a $800 million investment in the offering. Image Credit: Insta/adarpoonawalla

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In 2017, Adar Poonawalla decided he would be part of a programme that doled out vaccines every year for public consumption. The idea germinated with the success of Serum Institute’s Oral Polio Vaccine in 2014. Image Credit: Insta/Sonam Kapoor

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Earlier this year, Adar posted a video about his institute’s latest roll-out, the coronavirus vaccine, which he tried himself. “I wish India and Sri @narendramodi ji great success in launching the world’s largest Covid vaccination roll out. It brings me great pride that # Covishield is part of this historic effort and to endorse its safety and efficacy. I join our health workers in taking the vaccine myself,” Poonawalla wrote on Twitter. Image Credit: Insta/adarpoonawalla

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Adar Poonawalla’s wife, entrepreneur and philanthropist is a celebrity in her own right, with stints at prestigious galas such as the Met. Image Credit: Insta/natasha.poonawalla

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And Adar has been featured in Forbes Asia's Heroes of Philanthropy list and is a brand ambassador for the ‘Clean India’ campaign. Image Credit: Insta/natasha.poonawalla

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Adar, who turned 40 on January 14, spent his special day with his wife, sons and father, Cyrus Poonawalla. Image Credit: Insta/natasha.poonawalla Verified

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Meet Adar Poonawalla, the force behind India’s fight with coronavirus

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Meet Adar Poonawalla, the force behind India’s fight with coronavirus

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