Billionaire Dr Cyrus Poonawalla and family retained their position as the third richest in India according to the 360 One Wealth and Hurun India Rich List 2023. Their wealth of Rs 2,78,500 crore placed them behind the families of Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries who enjoy the top slots with a wealth of Rs 8,08,800 crore and industrialist Gautam Adani valued at Rs 4,74,800 crore.
Dr Cyrus (l) and Adar Poonawalla
Featured in this 12th annual ranking of those whose wealth exceeds Rs 1,000 crore are 1,319 individuals residing or born and bred in India. The list released on October 10 increased by 216 in 2023. The wealth calculations are "a snapshot as of August 30, 2023,” states the Hurun website. As per the Hurun India Wealth Report, India is home to five lakh millionaire households.
The Serum Institute of India (SII), founded by Poonawalla, is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer (by number of doses produced and sold globally). As per Hurun India 500, SII is "the most valuable private company.” After creating special facilities on their premises in Poona to roll out vaccines during Covid, they will now be focusing on the malaria vaccine, jointly developed by SII and the University of Oxford. "I am incredibly proud of the part that the SII has played in developing the R21 malaria vaccine,” the company’s chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla was quoted on SII website. The vaccine has received recommendation from the World Health Organization in October 2023 and is being readied for a global rollout next year.