Nationalist Congress Party (NCP leader Sharad Pawar is pushing for Cyrus Poonawalla, the founder of the Serum Institute of India (SII), to receive the prestigious Bharat Ratna award for his outstanding work in the vaccine sector.

Pawar made this suggestion while presenting the Late Mohan Dharia Nation Building Award to Poonawalla at a ceremony in the Bal Gandharva auditorium. The event, held on Wednesday, was attended by former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.

Pawar commended Poonawalla's remarkable achievements, noting that the SII provides vaccines to three out of every five babies worldwide. He emphasized the institute's crucial role in supplying Covid-19 vaccines globally, especially to African countries facing urgent needs.

Expressing dissatisfaction with Poonawalla's previous awards, Pawar stressed the importance of awarding him the Bharat Ratna in recognition of his significant contributions to vaccine manufacturing, particularly benefiting younger generations.

Chavan supported Pawar's stance, praising Poonawalla's humanitarian efforts. He highlighted how Poonawalla's decision to offer vaccines at an affordable price has potentially saved millions of lives.

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