Smriti Irani
BJP politician and former Union minister, BJPAbout
When Bill Gates wanted to have a cost-effective solution for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), which causes about 700,000 maternal deaths worldwide, he turned to former women and child development minister Smriti Irani, who has collaborated with the Gates Foundation to offer a platform to Indian innovators. Irani proudly mentions that a young entrepreneur from Gujarat made the PPH drip. “A young entrepreneur in Gujarat we partnered with made the drip for less than $1 and at standards better than those of the World Health Organization (WHO),” she says. Irani says her effort has been to bring to Gates’s attention the scientists and tech innovators, who have worked in segments such as malaria, TB, child care, and maternal health. “Most innovators in India, especially in the scientific field, limit themselves only to the discovery of the solution. They do not have the wherewithal in terms of capital to turn their entire innovation into enterprise. My endeavour is to bring such people face to face with those who matter in the capital market and those who invest in such innovative endeavours,” Irani points out. Irani will reach out to 300 most populous cities in the country and help 100,000 women-owned businesses this year, under the WEF’s Alliance for Global Good—Gender Equity and Equality, aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality.
