Claremont, CA, Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of Keck Graduate Institute’s 24th commencement ceremony in May 2026, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw will receive an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Life Sciences degree in recognition of her illustrious career and passion for expanding access and affordability to healthcare globally. Mazumdar-Shaw will also be the keynote speaker at the ceremony.
Mazumdar-Shaw is the founder and executive chairperson of Biocon Limited, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, headquartered in India.
Recognized as a healthcare visionary who pioneered the model of affordable innovation to tackle global health disparities, Mazumdar-Shaw founded Biocon as India’s first biotech company in 1978 from her garage. In the nearly five decades since, she has transformed it into a multibillion-dollar global biopharmaceutical company focused on ensuring life-saving medicines are affordable, accessible and available to everyone, regardless of economic status.
“We are proud to recognize Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw with an honorary degree in acknowledgment of a bioscience career defined by service, innovation, and impact,” said President Mohamed Abousalem. “Under her leadership, Biocon has expanded access to affordable healthcare for communities too often left behind, and we are proud to celebrate her legacy that reflects our shared values and belief that innovation, when guided by purpose, can heal and uplift global communities.”
Mazumdar-Shaw has consistently been featured on the Forbes’ list of The World’s Most Powerful Women since 2011, and was also recently featured in Forbes’ 50 Over 50 global list in 2025. She has several global recognitions, including the Othmer Gold Medal, the Advancing Women in Science and Medicine (AWSM) Award for Excellence, the Order of Australia, Knight of the National Order of the French Legion of Honour, and EY World Entrepreneur of the Year.
She has several honorary degrees from global institutions, and this is the first honorary degree from the United States. Mazumdar-Shaw also served as the commencement speaker at KGI’s 2017 commencement.
“I am honored to be recognized by Keck Graduate Institute, whose mission aligns closely with my own belief that science must ultimately serve humanity,” said Mazumdar-Shaw. “Biotechnology gives us the opportunity to reimagine healthcare, not just through innovation, but through inclusion and access. I accept this honor as a reminder of the responsibility we share as a global scientific community to ensure that the benefits of innovation reach every patient, everywhere.”
Mazumdar-Shaw collaborated with KGI in 2013 for Biocon Academy to introduce its flagship Biocon KGI Certificate Program in Biosciences to address the talent gap in the biotech sector of India. This program offers an 18-week, full-time course at Biocon Academy, which covers the scientific foundations of biotechnology application and provides hands-on training under KGI faculty direction. Since 2014, nearly 900 students have graduated from the program, with a 100% job placement within the first week of completing the program.
More recently, Mazumdar-Shaw has opened doors for KGI students in the U.S. by supporting scholarships. Late last year, Mazumdar-Shaw also hosted President Abousalem at Biocon’s headquarters in India.
Mazumdar-Shaw is the 14th person to receive an honorary degree from KGI.
KGI’s honorary degrees are lifetime awards and may be awarded to an individual who satisfies the following criteria:
- Significant achievement and eminence in their career, field of scholarship, or leadership or service contributions to the community or society at large in alignment with the mission and values of KGI to enrich society with breakthrough approaches to education and translational research in healthcare or the life sciences.
- Outstanding service or support to KGI based on a consistent and dedicated relationship to the Institution.
- Demonstration of high moral character and values in alignment with the ideals of KGI, higher education, and their respective field.
Kenneth Mashinchi Keck Graduate Institute (909) 607-7176 media@kgi.edu
