“Melinda Gates has come far off from just beingthe wife of Microsoft Founder Bill Gates. She is asocial activist & philanthropist by nature. With theestablishment of her Foundation, she aims at givinga suitable platform to people around the world”Melinda Gates has come faroff from just being the wifeof Microsoft Founder BillGates. Ms. Gates is a social activistand philanthropist by nature. Withthe establishment of the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, Ms. Gatesaims at giving a suitable platformto people around the world to helpthem achieve their dreams. Whetherit is the poor health of the personassociating with the organizationor it is his/her social, economic, oreducational requirement, she hasspecific models designed for peoplewith specific needs.Improving LifestylesUnder her leadership, the Foundationtakes care of even the minutestdetails that can add to the qualityof life of the people who collaboratewith it. Melinda Gates aims atigniting the cognitive and conativeaspects of humans across the globe.Under her strict supervision anddirect guidance, the Foundationtakes every possible measure toimprove the health status and livingconditions of the underprivilegedpeople besides ensuring theirwellbeing.From providing underprivilegedmasses with basic and advancedfinancial tools to making the farmerslearn the best ways of increasingproduction, the foundation takescare of every requirement of acommon man.Empowering the FutureGenerationMs. Gates is also committed torevolutionizing the educationalscenario in the USA. She is wellaware that students are the futureof tomorrow; hence, through theFoundation, she ensures enhancingthe college completion rates ofstudents so that the literacy ratesare higher and useful for the worldas well as its inhabitants. What’smore, through the Gates MillenniumScholars Program, she helpsstudents fund their higher studies.A Result-OrientedPersonalityWhile most of the charitableorganizations look at the individualswith respect to the issues theyface, the Gates foundation is a bitdifferent. Melinda Gates focuses onindividuals and not on issues. Sheemphasizes the measurement ofhow effective the strategies havebeen in improving the quality of life ofeach individual. Her result-orientednature is far beyond numbers andfigures. It is about the intensity ofsmiles that it brings across.Being co-chair with her husband,Ms. Gates takes the responsibilityof setting the goals and providingvalid direction to the working ofthe Foundation. She has alwaysremained active whenever it is aboutwomen and children. She puts astrong emphasis on crucial aspectslike maternal and child health whilehelping individuals understand theimportance of family planning ina better way. Under her guidance,the Foundation provides life-savingvaccines, effective medicines, andadvanced diagnostics to those whoneed it the most.The user-specific models thatare designed to ensure propermaintenance of global health anddevelopment are the consequencesof Ms. Gates’ vision of treating everyindividual equally and giving adequateattention to their special needs.Mr. and Ms. Gates’ initiative is notconfined to any particular nation.The organization has its branches allacross the globe, including Africa,Europe, India, China, and the MiddleEast, so that the people worldwideget a chance to associate with it.For her association with India,Melinda Gates was honored withPadma Bhushan, the third-highestcivilian award of the nation, forher ‘distinguished service of a highorder’ in 2015.Transforming the WorldBelieving that the path out of povertybegins when the next generationcan access quality healthcare anda great education, she has beenimpactfully working in developingcountries, focusing on improvingpeople’s health and wellbeing, andhelping individuals lift themselvesout of hunger and extreme poverty.She seeks to ensure that allpeople - especially those with thefewest resources - can access theopportunities they need to succeedin school and life.Ms. Gates has been activelyoffering people tools to lead healthyand productive lives, helping themlift themselves out of poverty.Through her Foundation, she hashelped people adopt new farmingtechnologies, invest in new businessopportunities, or find new jobs.She feels that women and girlshave a unique power to reshapesocieties, and when one invests in awoman’s health and empowerment,it has a ripple effect, helping families,communities, and countries achievelong-lasting benefits.| india’s greatest leaders 2019-20 | 113
Kiran Mazumdar ShawMaking Giant Strides in BiotechnologyAn astute businesswoman, who has scaled the pinnacles of glory in a few decades,Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is a stalwart of Indian industry and the Co-founder,Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon, Asia’s largest biopharmaceuticalenterprise. She holds an honours degree in Zoology from Bengaluru University anda Masters in Brewing Technology from Ballarat University, Australia114 | india’s greatest leaders 2019-20 |
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