Krishna Ella

Last updated
Krishna Ella
Born
Krishna M. Ella

1955 (age 67–68)
Nemali,Tiruttani, Tamil Nadu, India
Education Ph.D (University of Wisconsin–Madison)
M.S. (University of Hawaiʻi)
M.Sc. (University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore)
Occupation(s)Scientist, Entrepreneur
Notable workDevelopment of Covaxin,ROTAVAC, TypbarTCV
TitleExecutive Chairman of Bharat Biotech
Term1996–present
SpouseSuchitra Ella
Awards Padma Bhushan (2022)

Krishna Ella is an Indian scientist and entrepreneur. He is the founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech. [1] [2] Ella and his company were responsible for developing India's own COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, World's 1st clinically proven conjugated Typhoid Vaccine, TypbarTCV and ROTAVAC. [3] [4]

Contents

Ella worked as a research faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston after earning his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. [5]

Early life and education

Krishna Ella was born into a Telugu-speaking [6] Hindu family in the Tiruttani village, in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, South India in 1969. [7]

Ella obtained a bachelor's degree from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and joined for a Master's degree at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. On a Rotary fellowship, he completed his master's degree from University of Hawaiʻi. He attained his PhD from University of Wisconsin–Madison in the department of plant pathology. [7] [4]

Career

Ella started off his career by joining the pharmaceutical and life sciences company Bayer, as part of its agricultural division. However, he left to the United States to pursue his education.

He returned to India and set up a small lab in Hyderabad, Bharat Biotech. In 1999, the company launched its Hepatitis B vaccine at a price of ₹10 per dose and supplied around 350-400 million doses to more than 65 countries.

In 1996, he suggested to the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu to set up a biotech knowledge park (now called Genome Valley).[ citation needed ]

Ella's company is the first to manufacture a preservative-free vaccine (Revac-B mcf Hepatitis B Vaccine), and launch India's first cell-cultured Swine Flu vaccine. They also manufacture the world's cheapest Hepatitis vaccines. Bharat Biotech is the first in the world to find a vaccine for the Zika virus. [8] [9] Bharat Biotech has delivered over 4 billion vaccines in 123 countries. [4]

The vaccine against Covid developed by Bharat Biotech named as Covaxin was endorsed by Indian government with an active push by the Indian Prime minister, Narendra Modi. [10] Covaxin usage was opposed by various opposition parties in India by terming it as BJP vaccine and Some states such as Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Kerala were hesitant to use it. [11] However, the efficacy of Covaxin against the Delta and Omicron variants made it more acceptable afterwards. [12] Later, Krishna Ella along with Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India lauded the Prime Minister Modi for a never-seen before Government-Industry collaboration and for the vision and dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister. [13]

Awards

Related Research Articles

The pharmaceutical industry in India was valued at an estimated US$42 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach $130 billion by 2030. India is the world's largest provider of generic medicines by volume, with a 20% share of total global pharmaceutical exports. It is also the largest vaccine supplier in the world by volume, accounting for more than 60% of all vaccines manufactured in the world. Indian pharmaceutical products are exported to various regulated markets including the US, UK, European Union and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyrus S. Poonawalla</span> Indian billionaire businessman

Cyrus S. Poonawalla is an Indian billionaire businessman, and the chairman and managing director of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, which includes the Serum Institute of India, an Indian biotech company which is the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world and Poonawalla Fincorp a leading NBFC in India. In 2022, he is ranked as the 4th richest person in India on Forbes India rich list with a net worth of $24.3 billion. He is ranked number 1 on the Hurun Global Healthcare Rich List 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in India</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in India

The COVID-19 pandemic in India is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. As of 10 December 2023, according to Indian government figures, India has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the world with 45,002,179 reported cases of COVID-19 infection and the third-highest number of COVID-19 deaths at 533,300 deaths. In October 2021, the World Health Organization estimated 4.7 million excess deaths, both directly and indirectly related to COVID-19 to have taken place in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Haryana</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Haryana, India

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Indian state of Haryana was reported on 4 March 2020. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has confirmed a total of 2,64,955 positive cases as of 10 January 2021 out of which 2,510 are still active and 2,950 deaths so far. The recovery rate in Haryana is 97.9%.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories including the state of Tripura. The first case was recorded in this region on 6 April.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories including the state of Himachal Pradesh. The first case was recorded in this region on 20 March 2020.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories including the state of Telangana. The first case was recorded in this region on 2 March from a man who had travel history with the UAE.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories of India including the union territory of Ladakh. The first case was recorded in this region on 18 March.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories including the union territory of Chandigarh. The first case was recorded in this region on 19 March 2020. As on 24 May, total number of cases in Chandigarh was 225. This contains 43 active cases as 179 successfully recovered from it and three died from the virus.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories including the union territory of Puducherry. The first case was recorded in this region on 17 March.

The first case of COVID-19 on the Union Territory of Lakshadweep was recorded on 18 January 2021. Lakshadweep Islands, until then, was India's only COVID-free territory (state/UT), and life was fairly normal for the residents of the UT. As of 13 September 2021, there were 10,297 confirmed cases and 51 deaths.

The COVID-19 pandemic reached the state of Nagaland on 22 May 2020, with its first case confirmed on 25 May 2020. Officially, Nagaland is the last of the northeastern states after Sikkim to report COVID-19 positive cases.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories including the state of Manipur. The first case was recorded in this region on 24 March 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bharat Biotech</span> Indian multinational biotechnology company and vaccine manufacturer

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Covaxin</span> Vaccine against COVID-19

Covaxin is a whole inactivated virus-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Virology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 vaccination in India</span> Immunisation programme against COVID-19 in India

India began administration of COVID-19 vaccines on 16 January 2021. As of 4 March 2023, India has administered over 2.2 billion doses overall, including first, second and precautionary (booster) doses of the currently approved vaccines. In India, 95% of the eligible population (12+) has received at least one shot, and 88% of the eligible population (12+) is fully vaccinated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaccine Maitri</span> Vaccination initiative by the Indian government

Vaccine Maitri is a humanitarian initiative undertaken by the Indian government to provide COVID-19 vaccines to countries around the world. The government started providing vaccines from 20 January 2021. As of 21 February 2022, India had delivered around 16.29 crore doses of vaccines to 96 countries. Of these, 1.43 crore doses were gifted to 98 countries by the Government of India. The remaining 10.71 crore were supplied by the vaccine producers under its commercial and 4.15 crore were supplied by COVAX obligations. In late March 2021, the Government of India temporarily froze exports of the Covishield, citing India's own COVID crisis and the domestic need for these vaccines. The Health Minister of India, Mansukh Mandaviya announced in September that India will resume the export of vaccines from October to the rest of the world.

iNCOVACC Vaccine candidate against COVID-19

iNCOVACC is an intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by Bharat Biotech, American company Precision Virologics and the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CoWIN</span> Indian Government COVID-19 vaccination portal

CoWIN is an Indian government web portal for COVID-19 vaccination registration, owned and operated by India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It displays booking slots of COVID-19 vaccine available in the nearby areas and can be booked on the website. The site also provides vaccination certificates to the beneficiaries, which act as Vaccine Passports during the COVID-19 pandemic for the beneficiaries and can be stored in Digilocker. Users can access the platform via desktop, tablet, and mobile phones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Covaxgate</span> Vaccine controversy in Brazil

The Case Covaxin, also known as Covaxgate, refers to an investigation made by the Brazilian Federal Public Ministry (MPF), held on June 16, 2021, which found evidence of irregularities in the purchase of 20 million doses by the Ministry of Health of the Indian vaccine Covaxin, with the value of the vaccines 1000% higher than initially foreseen.

References

  1. ↑ "Here Are 10 Things To Know About Bharat Biotech, Its Founder Krishna Ella". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Ella, Krishna". Global Health Institute. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "Krishna Ella: How A Farmer's Son Gave India Its First Successful Indigenous Covid-19 Vaccine". Forbes India. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Bharat Biotech co-founder receives honorary degree". International Division. 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  5. ↑ "Founder's Profile - Bharat Biotech - A Leading Biotech Company". www.bharatbiotech.com.
  6. ↑ Mathur, Aneesha (24 December 2021). "People criticised Covaxin because it was developed in India, says CJI NV Ramana". India Today.
  7. 1 2 "Krishna Ella: How A Farmer's Son Gave India Its First Successful Indigenous Covid-19 Vaccine". Forbes India.
  8. ↑ "The Man Behind India's First COVID-19 Vaccine is a Tamil Farmer's Son". July 2, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Krishna Ella". www.isb.edu.
  10. ↑ "PM Modi takes first dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin at Delhi's AIIMS". Press Trust of India. New Delhi. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "Creating Hesitancy, Shifting Demands: How the Opposition Played Mind Games And Vaccine Politics With India". News18. New Delhi. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  12. ↑ Rhythma Kaul (15 June 2021). "Covaxin booster shot enhances efficacy against Delta, Omicron variants: Study". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Covid vaccine lakers praise PM Modi's vision, lauds never-seen-before govt, industry collaboration". Live Mint. 23 October 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 Network, Newsmeter (2022-01-25). "Vaccine Couple: Bharat Biotech's Krishna and Suchitra Ella conferred Padma Bhushan". newsmeter.in. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  15. ↑ "SBI loans for entrepreneurs". The Hindu. 31 July 2012.
  16. ↑ "Krishna Ella favours WHO's global outreach over 'vaccine nationalism'". The New Indian Express. 23 February 2021.
  17. ↑ "Padma awards announced, Padma Vibhushan to Gen Bipin Rawat, Kalyan Singh". The Indian Express. 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  18. ↑ "Padma Awards 2022" (PDF).
  19. ↑ "Ella, Nosbusch, Grant to receive honorary degrees from University of Wisconsin–Madison". news.wisc.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  20. ↑ "Honorary Degree Recipients". Office of the Secretary of the Faculty. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
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