Indian business women like Indra Nooyi, Chanda Kochhar, Naina Lal Kidwai, Shikha Sharma, Swati Piramal, Anu Agha, Swati Piramal, Sulajja Firodia Motwani and Zia Mody have put India on the global firmament.

The brewing industry is a very, very male dominated industry. It's a male bastion.

I faced a number of challenges whilst I built Biocon. Initially, I had credibility challenges where I couldn't get banks to fund me; I couldn't recruit people to work for a woman boss. Even in the businesses where I had to procure raw materials, they didn't want to deal with women.

I hate the title of being called the richest woman in India, but it's the recognition that this was the value that I had created as a woman entrepreneur and that makes me very, very proud.

My father was a brew master. He was the one who I was very close to, he influenced me in many many ways including my pursuing a career as a brew master.

What really got me focused on cancer was when my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and even though she was a well-to-do person, I found that her treatment costs were crippling.

I have never let gender get in my way.