Krishna Ella

Krishna Ella is an Indian scientist and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Bharat Biotech where he is also a Managing Director.[1][2] Ella and his company were responsible for developing India's own COVID-19 vaccine.[3]

Krishna Ella
Born
Krishna M. Ella

1969 (age 52–53)
Tiruttani, Tamil Nadu, India
EducationPh.D (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
M.S. (University of Hawaii)
M.Sc. (University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore)
OccupationScientist, Entrepreneur
Notable work
Development of Covaxin
TitleChairman and MD of Bharat Biotech
Term1996–present
Spouse(s)Suchitra Ella
AwardsPadma Bhushan (2022)

Ella worked as a research faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston after earning his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.[4]

Early life and education

Krishna Ella was born into a Telugu-speaking[5] agriculturist family in Tiruttani village in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu in 1969.[6]

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 Hawaii. He attained his PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison.[6]

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).

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.[7][8]

Awards
  • ET Now — Special Recognition for Healthcare Industry Award
  • JRD Tata awards — Best Entrepreneur of the Year (2012)[9]
  • Marico Innovation Award
  • University of Southern California—Asia-Pacific Leadership Award
  • BioAsia - Genome Valley excellence award (2021)[10]
  • Padma Bhushan for his contribution in Covaxin in response to COVID-19, by the Government of India in 2022.[11][12]

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. "Founder's Profile - Bharat Biotech - A Leading Biotech Company". www.bharatbiotech.com.
  5. Mathur, Aneesha (24 December 2021). "People criticised Covaxin because it was developed in India, says CJI NV Ramana". India Today.
  6. "Krishna Ella: How A Farmer's Son Gave India Its First Successful Indigenous Covid-19 Vaccine". Forbes India.
  7. "The Man Behind India's First COVID-19 Vaccine is a Tamil Farmer's Son". July 2, 2020.
  8. "Krishna Ella". www.isb.edu.
  9. "SBI loans for entrepreneurs". The Hindu. 31 July 2012.
  10. "Krishna Ella favours WHO's global outreach over 'vaccine nationalism'". The New Indian Express. 23 February 2021.
  11. "Padma awards announced, Padma Vibhushan to Gen Bipin Rawat, Kalyan Singh". The Indian Express. 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  12. "Padma Awards 2022" (PDF).


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