Meet Cyrus Poonawalla, Pune’s richest man with a net worth of ₹2,04,300 crore

The ninth richest billionaire in the country and the richest person in Pune, Cyrus Poonawalla is the owner of Serum Institute of India, one of the largest private pharmaceutical enterprises in India, reports Forbes India.

Dr Cyrus Poonawalla started out as the son of a horse breeder and is now one of the richest men in the country. In 1966, he founded the Serum Institute of India, which is known for its important work during the COVID-19 pandemic and is one of the key vaccine manufacturers in the country.

The institute also produces 1.5 billion doses of polio, influenza and measles vaccines annually. GQ India. In 2022, he received the Padma Bhushan, one of the country’s highest civilian honors, in recognition of his work in developing and distributing vaccines.

In fact, SII holds the title of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, producing more vaccines than any other company in the world. The company is now headed by Cyrus’ son Adar Poonawalla, who has expanded the family business into various areas.

According to the Hurun India Rich List 2024, Cyrus Poonawalla, as Chairman and Managing Director of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, has amassed wealth worth ₹2,89,900 crores, with the cost of SII ₹2,04,300 crore.

Apart from SII, he also owns large stakes in Poonawalla Fincorp, a non-banking finance company involved in consumer and MSME finance, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pune. Following the legacy of his father Soli Poonawalla, he also owns a huge farm that breeds award-winning horses.

One of the crown jewels of his empire is his luxurious seaside mansion in Mumbai’s Beach Candy area, which he purchased in 2015 from the US government for ₹The deal was worth Rs 750 crore, making it one of the most expensive real estate transactions in India.

Recently, his son Adar Poonawalla made his debut in the film business by buying 50 percent stake in director Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. ₹1000 crores.