Pharma entrepreneurs share in India's wealthiest list rises

India’s pharma sector contributed the most individuals — around 126 entrepreneurs — to the IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2022. However, the overall number of individuals from drug companies in the list still fell short of the pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, the sector added 137 individuals to the rich list — its highest since the compilation was started in 2012.


The Covid-19 pandemic seemed to have helped in enhancing the wealth of a few players. In particular, Cyrus Poonawalla’s wealth surged by onefourth this year, making the chairman of Serum Institute of India the third richest with a cumulative net worth of Rs 2,05,400 crore. The cumulative wealth of B Parthasaradhi Reddy & family, the promoters of Hetero Labs, the Hyderabad-based pharma company that sold several Covid drugs, rose by 50% year-on-year to Rs 39,200 crore.