Entrepreneurship not about making money but having purpose, says Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Speaking to students of Delhi's government schools, Shaw talked about her journey as a businesswoman and said that one must always think about giving back to society.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw | Facebook

New Delhi: Entrepreneurship is not about making money but about having a purpose, renowned businesswoman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw told Delhi government school students on Wednesday.

She was speaking during an online session organised by the government’s Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum team.

“Entrepreneurship is not just about making money. Have a vision of how you can make a difference in the life of others. You should always have a purpose. That purpose will drive you to succeed. You should always think of giving back to society,” she told the students.

Shaw is the Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon, Asia’s leading bio-pharmaceuticals enterprise.

She touched upon various aspects of becoming an entrepreneur during the interaction.

“When I came back from Australia after completing my post-graduation and bagging top rank in my college, I was extremely confident of getting a good job. Instead, I did not get a single offer as nobody wanted to offer a job to a woman.

I was completely shattered, but my father gave me the strength and did not let me lose hope. Ultimately I trusted my skill set and believed in myself. Eventually, I started my own business,” she said.

“The journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur has not been an easy one. During my initial days, nobody was willing to give me a loan for my business as they did not understand biotechnology and therefore, did not understand my business idea.

But there was one person who found it interesting and agreed to provide me the loan. Therefore, whenever you feel stuck in a situation, there will always be a person who will listen to you, you just need to be patient and do not give up,” Shaw added.

The session was chaired by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

“Entrepreneurship mindset means we should look at every opportunity with a new perspective, irrespective of the career option we choose. A student may become an engineer, doctor, or anything else, but they should also have that mindset that if required, they can set up their own business and become a job provider,” he told the students.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is Executive Chairperson, Biocon. She is among the distinguished founder-investors of ThePrint. Please click here for details on investors.