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Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Born on 23 March 1953 in Bangalore, is an Indian entrepreneur. She is the Chairman & Managing Director of Biocon Ltd. In 2004, she became India’s richest woman.
She was educated at the Bishop Cotton Girls School and Mount Carmel College at Bangalore. After completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Bangalore University in 1973, she went to Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education (now University of Ballarat), Australia to study brewing and qualified as a master brewer in 1974. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw started her professional career as trainee brewer in Carlton & United Beverages in 1974. In 1978, she joined as a Trainee Manager with Biocon Biochemicals Limited in Ireland
Collaborating with the same Irish firm, she founded Biocon India with a capital of Rs. 10,000/- in 1978. The initial operation was to extract an enzyme from papaya. Her application for loans was turned down by banks on two counts – biotechnology was then a new word and the company lacked assets. Over the years, the company grew under her stewardship and is today the biggest biopharmaceutical firm in India. In 2004, Biocon went for an IPO and the issue was over-subscribed by over 30 times. Post-IPO, Shaw held close to 40% of the stock of the company and was regarded as India’s richest woman with an estimated worth of Rs. 2,100 crore (~U.S. $ 480 million).
She has authored 'Ale and Arty,' a Coffee table book about brewing beer illustrated by paintings of some of India's renowned artists. Famous brewing families and beer firms are the subject of the book. In 1998, she married John Shaw, an expatriate manager and Indophile from Scotland at Madura Coats. John Shaw resigned as the managing director of Madura Coats the same year and joined Biocon as its Director for International Business and the Vice Chairman of the Board. He is also a great enthusiastic trekker.

Recognition

She was termed India's Biotech Queen by The Economist and Fortune, and India's mother of invention by New York Times. Some of the major awards won by her are: -

• Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award (2006)

• Padma Bhushan (2005)

• Honorary Doctorate from Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) (2005)

• Lifetime Achievement Award from Indian Chamber of Commerce (2005)

• Honorary Doctorate of Science, from Ballarat University (2004)

• The Economic Times Business Woman of the Year Award (2004)

• Whirlpool GR8 Women award for Science and Technology (2004)

• Australian Alumni High Achiever Award from the IDP Australian Alumni Association (2003)

• Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Healthcare & Life Sciences Category (2002)

• Woman of the Year from the International Women's Association, Chennai (1998-1999)

• Padma Shri (1989)

• Outstanding Young Person Award by Jaycees (1987)

• Rotary award for the Best Model Employer (1983)

• Outstanding Contribution Award (AWAKE) (1983)

• Gold for Best Woman Entrepreneur, Institute of Marketing Management (1982)

Shahnaz Husain

Shahnaz Husain, CEO of Shahnaz Herbals Inc, is a prominent Indian female entrepreneur best known for her herbal cosmetics, particularly skin care products. Currently, the Shahnaz Husain Group has over 400 franchise clinics across the world covering over 138 countries. Her group’s products are sold in leading global stores including Bloomingdale's (New York), Galleries Lafayette (Paris), Seibu (Japan), Harrods and Selfridges (London), and La Rinaeccente (Milan). She has been awarded the Padma Shri, a civilian award by the Government of India in 2006,and Success Magazine's "World's Greatest Woman Entrepreneur" award in 1996.