"India came out of COVID crisis because of Poonawala," says Sharad Pawar

Former Union Minister Sharad Pawar has expressed his feeling that the central government should honour him with the Bharat Ratna award to properly honour his work and not just limit him to the Padma Bhushan award.

For substantial contributions in medical and social fields, Dr. Cyrus Poonawala was awarded the 'Late Dr. Mohan Dharia Nation Building Award by Sharad Pawar. Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, MP Srinivas Patil, Vanarai Ravindra Dharia, President of Vanarai Foundation, Dr. Girish Gandhi, Chancellor of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Ved Prakash Mishra, Vanrai Trustee Ganpatrao Patil, Nilesh Khandekar, Trustee Rohidas More, Secretary Amit Wadekar, and several others were present on this occasion.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari wished Cyrus Poonawala through video conferencing. He further said: "Today, three out of five people in the world are receiving a vaccine developed by Cyrus Poonawala's Serum Institute. It is because of Poonawalla that India was able to come out of a crisis like Corona, considering his contribution to medical and social fields."

Sharad Pawar said, Dr. Mohan Dharia showed a different direction to the country with his politics and social causes. Mohan Dharia's ideology was nation first. Serum Institute is in a way moving on their own thinking and producing vaccines not only for the country but also for everyone in the world. Today, three out of five people in the world are receiving the vaccine developed by Serum Institute, this alone shows the global contribution of Serum Institute. Cyrus Poonawala should not only be honored with the Padma Bhushan but also the country's highest Bharat Ratna Award.

Cyrus Poonawala said, Dr. Mohan Dharia, when he was the vice-chairman of the country's planning commission, had contributed significantly to the progress of our serum institute, even after that he guided Serum Institute from time to time. My dream was not that Serum Institute should become the largest vaccine producer in the world, but today millions of children's lives are being saved because of the vaccine developed by our organization. It is a matter of satisfaction for us. 

Prithviraj Chavan said, Cyrus Poonawala's contribution is Dr. Like Mohan Dharia. The stature of this award has increased by giving him an award named after Mohan Dharia. Dr. Mohan Dharia created a different height in Indian politics, Dr. Cyrus Punawala has saved not only the country but also the world from a major crisis due to his work in the medical field.

Nitin Gadkari said A visionary like Cyrus Poonawala has led the country today in science, technology, and medicine. Dr. Cyrus Poonawala has an aim to free the youth from cancer. Taken by Cyrus Poonawala, he will surely succeed in this endeavour. Just as the political body of Mohan Dharia was constructive, Dr. Cyrus Punawala's research and medical body are also formative. That is why both great personalities have contributed a lot in building not only Maharashtra but also the country.