We are proud of our indigenous vaccines: Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana

Hyderabad, March 22, 2022: FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) organised “Braving The Odds”, an interactive session with Dr Krishna Ella and Ms. Suchitra Ella on the journey to good health for all here in the city at Kohenur Hotel, Madhapur on Tuesday evening.
 
Uma Chigurupati, Chairperson of FLO Hyderabad facilitated the conversation. Before beginning the conversation, she gave an overview of the year gone by, which was marked with 78 sessions, Job Connect program with police, helping 6000 youth get jobs through 7 different sessions, Corona Care Center, a fillip to ancient craft Bidri, promotion of Handicrafts and Handlooms in every possible way
 
Governor Dr(Smt) Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana was the Chief Guest.
 
Addressing the 200 plus gathering, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan congratulated Dr Krishna Ella and Ms Suchitra Ella for their contribution and service in the health care sector in India.
 
If we are proud of our indigenous vaccine, it’s is because of Bharat Biotech. Though my schedule is tight, as Lt Governor of Puducherry, I have to attend to a lot of tasks, but, I still made it to this program because of Dr Krishna and Suchitra. Just to tell them that the whole nation is proud of their contribution. The second reason why I am here is because of FLO’s role in empowering women. I am being a woman Governor, it is my minimum duty to encourage good work she said.
 
The whole world is looking to India for vaccines, not just for Covid but for many other ailments, she said. We have administered 1.80 billion doses so far and exported to 150 plus countries, she told.
 
While in conversation with Uma, Dr Krishna shared that the USA gave him a skillset that subsequently gave him the confidence to take bigger roles in life.
 
I had the influence of my teacher, my wife and my mother for taking a decision to relocate from
the USA to India and venture out big on our own. My other always told me how much would I need for 9 inches stomach. My teacher too encouraged me to accept more challenging roles, he said.
 
When asked which was a more challenging role as a Scientist or Entrepreneur, Dr Krishna said “Science is my passion. Science is beautiful. It is not entrepreneurship alone that throws challenges, even science too. It is more challenging. In the Vaccine field, scientists need to compete globally. The intensity of the competition is very tight. Whereas in the entrepreneurial journey, once you build systems, the systems can run the show, he said
 
It is easiest to work on vaccines for children. But it is not so working with adult vaccines, he added.
 
Intervening Ms Suchitra Ella said in the last 27 years of Bharath Biotech’s journey, our priority was never to build a balance sheet. But, we always gave preference to Science, Technology and Research.
 
On the status of science in India, Dr Krishna said it is changing. Earlier we used to study to get jobs. But, today’s young people pursue what means the most to them.
 
Talking about women in Science, Ms Suchitra Ella said, we have women everywhere, but not many in Science. We need more women in STEM( Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).