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Swati Piramal

Swati Piramal is one of India's leading scientists and industrialists, and is involved in healthcare, focusing on public health and innovation. Her contributions in innovations in new medicines and public health services have touched thousands of lives. She is the Vice Chairperson of Piramal Enterprises Ltd (formerly known as Piramal Healthcare), a leading drug discovery company which aims to bring affordable medicines to reduce the burden of disease globally.Born on 28 March 1956, Piramal earned her medical degree, an M.B.B.S from Mumbai University in 1980. She is an alumnus of the Harvard School of Public Health where she received her Master's degree in 1992.Piramal leads a team of scientists in cancer, diabetes, inflammation and infectious disease research, with a portfolio of over 200 international patents, and 14 new drugs, which are in clinical trials globally. Piramal Enterprises Ltd is a multinational, with global manufacturing operations and supplies medicines to over a 100 countries. In the last, nearly two decades, she has worked in the prevention of chronic diseases like Diabetes, Arthritis, and Heart Disease. She is a founder of the Gopikrishna Piramal Hospital in Mumbai, and has launched public health campaigns against chronic disease, Osteoporosis, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Epilepsy and polio. The Sports-medicine Centre at the Hospital was the first of its kind, and worked for the arthritis treatment of disabled children, the elderly, and sports injuries. She started Ostop India, a prevention of Osteoporosis programme, and a field detection centre for detection of Diabetes, Epilepsy, and a nationwide campaign for the prevention of chronic disease in India. She has written several books on clinical nutrition and a book on nutrition for patients with Kidney Disease.As Director of the Piramal Foundation which is engaged in inter-disciplinary and field based education, she helps promote health in rural India with HMRI – a mobile health service, women's empowerment projects, and supporting community education that creates young leaders. She is a Director of Sarvajal foundation for clean water. She has made an immense contribution for supporting women in leadership roles. The first woman President of India's Apex Chamber of Commerce, ASSOCHAM, in 90 years, she helped influence important public policies and governance. Her impact on public policy related to healthcare has led to major policy changes that help reduce the burden of disease. She has been nominated in the list of the 25 Most Powerful Women, eight times, and is now a part of the Hall of Fame of Most Powerful Women.She serves on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Prime Minister, as well the Council of Trade of the Prime Minister.She currently serves on the Dean's Advisory Board of both the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Business School. She has Board Positions in healthcare, financial services, manufacturing and service companies. She serves on the Boards of Indian and International Academic institutions such as IIT Bombay, and Harvard University. She has also served UPenn. She has helped create the foundation for effective public policy and governance that encourages private and public institutions to work together, to solve problems in healthcare and business. She also serves on government public policy committees for trade, planning, environment, arts, women's entrepreneurship, national integration, and regional development.