Kiran Mazumdar Shaw becomes first Indian female CEO to sign the Giving Pledge

Biopharama major Biocon’s Chairman and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw becomes the second Indian to join hands with the ‘Giving Pledge’ for philanthropy. She is the first Indian female CEO to join the pledge and reportedly only the second Indian to do so.

The Giving Pledge is a global initiative created by Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates that encourages billionaires to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.

“This new group joining the Giving Pledge is incredibly thoughtful about their desire to give back and help solve the world’s toughest challenges through philanthropy,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in a statement.

Wipro chairman Azim Premji was the first Indian to be featured in the list. He has pledged half his wealth for philanthropy. Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates came to India in 2011 in a bid to convince the country's rich to share their wealth for social causes and help improve the world's pressing challenges like healthcare, education and more.

Ms. Shaw said in a statement, “My philanthropic efforts are largely directed towards making a difference to global healthcare especially in the developing world. I am particularly concerned about the unbearable financial burden that debilitating diseases like cancer impose on patients in poor countries.”

She is recognized as a global thought leader for biotechnology industry in the world and TIME magazine has named her in the list of 100 most influential people in the world,