The entrepreneurial calibre of an individual is determined by their characteristics. Yohan Poonawalla is one such business magnet who has proven his prowess as a prominent name in the entrepreneurial space. He is the chairman of the Poonawalla Engineering Group viz; intervalve Poonawalla Ltd. El-O- Matic India Pvt Ltd and Poonawalla Financials Pvt Ltd. He is also a director of the Poonawalla Stud Farms and also Poonawalla Racing and Breeding.
Born and brought up in a family of industrialists, he got familiarised with business jargon at a tender
age.According to Mr. Poonawalla, no school or institution in the world can match the exposure that
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one gets about business on practical grounds. Taking cues from the previous generation Yohan holds
immense knowledge about the business world. He received his MBA degree from the UK and has attended several business seminars and workshops.
Mr. Zavaray Poonawalla is the president of Poonawalla Group and is the co-founder of Serum Institute of India, founded in 1966. The Poonawalla Family also owns Asia’s leading Stud Farms in India, thereby exporting champion horses to USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai. Under the leadership of Mr. Yohan, the Poonawalla Engineering Group has diversified it’s product portfolios and has ensured maximising customer satisfaction by delivering quality products and services.
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Moreover, Intervalve Poonawalla has cemented its position in making wide range of Butterfly, Gate,
Ball, Globe, Dual Plate and Lift Check Valves. Made with accuracy, the quality valves meet
international standards over years, Yohan Poonawalla and the team have worked relentlessly to offer a one-stop solution in the Valve Automation Industry. Having a larger share in the industry segment, the company has won several accolades and awards from across the globe for it’s exceptional contribution to industrial development.
In addition to their various businesses the Poonawalla Group supports and array of all CSR activities
such as construction, widening and resurfacing of the Road in Hadapsar, christened as the Soli Poonawalla Road; developing and maintaining the Gool Poonawalla Garden in Salisbury Park; donations to hospitals—especially donating towards a state-of-the-art building known as “Zavaray Poonawalla Cancer Building” with ultra-modern facilities devoted to the treatment and care of cancer patients at the Ruby Hall Clinic; munificent donations to schools, such as Soli Poonawalla school, named in memory of his late grandfather. The YOHAN PONAWALLA FOUNDATION has contributed towards the Shri Sant Gadge Maharaj Vidhyalay for Education, Sports ground development & Maintenance and School bus facilities, renovation and refurbishment of the Turf Club House, Pune. Benevolent assistance to needy people by aiding and promoting family planning especially among the lower strata of the society. He has also extend humanitarian assistance to the beneficiaries of the Poona District Leprosy Committee by outsourcing the manufacture of some of Intervalve Poonawalla’s components. he has also donated to the Pune Police brand new Mahindra Jeeps for patrolling the streets of Pune and beyond. Apart from this, the billionaire entrepreneur is an avid fan of vintage cars and horses.
On being asked how he manages a legacy set by his family, the entrepreneur said, “The pressure was not only to sustain the business but grow it. I am fortunate to be born into a family like this. While I had easy access to run a business, the challenge was to maintain work consistently”. Calling hard work the only substitute, Yohan Poonawalla emphasizes the need for hustling and grinding. “You learn from your experiences and grow in the business. That’s what I believe is the road towards success”, he further added.
Besides having robust family business as Intervalve Poonawalla, Elomatic India, Poonawalla Stud Farms, he is also a shareholder in Serum Institute of India, Yohan Poonawalla is the first person in the family to dive deep into other businesses. The businessman made his foray into commercial real estate investments in Pune and Mumbai many years back
