"Faced Harassment 50 Years Ago, But Now...": Cyrus Poonawalla's Praise For PM Modi

Had to "fall at the feet" of bureaucrats and drug controllers in order to get permissions, Serum Institute of India (SII) Chairman Dr Cyrus Poonawalla said.

Recalling how the industry used to face "hardships" in securing permissions and "harassment from bureaucrats" 50 years ago, chairman of the city-based vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII), Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, on Friday hailed the Modi government saying that red-tapism and licence raj have come down under its rule. He also said that in the past, he had to "fall at the feet" of bureaucrats and drug controllers in order to get permissions, and added that the situation has changed now, which resulted in quick launch of SII's COVID-19 vaccine - Covishield. Mr Poonawalla was speaking at the event where he received the Lokmanyat Tilak National Award instituted by the Lokmanya Tilak Trust. "Serum Institute was founded in 1966 the morning after my marriage with Villoo, my dear late wife, to whom I dedicate this award. Fifty years ago, the industry had to face hardships in getting basic facilities like power, water, in getting permissions from bureaucrats. It had to face harassment from bureaucrats...I was not supposed to say this," he said.