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Life is not what happens to us. It is what we make out of it. Destiny may carve a path for us. But we decide the end goal. The results are always in our hands. Similar was the case with Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.
Today she is one of India's most successful women entrepreneurs. There are so many women empowerment and success stories that we hear today. And yet, Kiran's story is very different...
Kiran Mazumdar came from a well-off family. Her father was the head brew master at a brewery.
A brew master is someone who is responsible for the many duties related to making beer, including selecting the ingredients, creating unique beer recipes, preparing beer mixtures, and overseeing the fermenting process.
Expanding her boundaries to choose a career that was different…
Kiran decided to follow her father's footsteps and study enzymes and fermentation science. At that time, it was not a career that many women would choose.
She was the only female to enrol in a brewing course. And she topped her class!
But Kiran Shaw had her fair share of struggle as a woman entrepreneur
After returning to India for better career prospects, there was not much progress for Kiran in her field for her because 'Brewery was a man's work'. Rather than being disappointed, this response laid the founding stone of her company, Biocon Biochemicals.
Kiran set up a small infrastructure in the garage of a rented house in Bengaluru. With a meagre 10,000 rupees. Being a young woman made many investors doubt her capabilities. But Kiran did not give up.
Her efforts bore fruits and soon she found an investor.
But there were other challenges too.
Kiran Mazumdar was trying to set up a biochemical industry in a country that had the perfect ingredients unsuitable for its survival.
Uninterrupted power, good quality water, sterile labs, imported research equipment, and workers with advanced scientific skills were not easily available in India at that time.
Slowly but steadily, conditions started improving. Kiran then used her initial earnings to buy an area for Biocon. Her untested business model was now meeting the desired expectations .
Partnership with Unilever helped in establishing the Biocon we now know. Consistent efforts paired with defying the odds and the approach of creating an alternate route have played in her favour.
Today, Biocon is not only about brewery. It is also known for producing medicines that help in fighting COVID-19.
Kiran is an inspiration to so many women today. She did not let her gender or age define her capability. Neither did she give up easily. Looking at her, one really believes in the old saying -- If you believe it, you can always do it! If things do not happen as planned, there are always alternative options available.
Kiran's story makes us believe that if she can do it, so can we! Scholarship programs for girls, free career guidance and free online psychometric tests, free online courses -- there are so many options available for young women today. Internet and online courses have opened so many new opportunities for young girls.