According to Forbes India, Murali Divi, the founder of Divi’s Labs, left for the United States with only Rs 500 in his possession when he was 25 years old.
Murali Divi, the founder of Divi’s Labs, is considered one of the wealthiest scientists globally, with a net worth of USD 5.8 billion. Divi’s Labs is a leading producer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), and it ranks among the top three in the world. The company’s market capitalization currently stands at nearly Rs 1.3 lakh crore (over $17 billion).
Who is Murali Divi?
Murali Divi’s roots are in a small town in Andhra Pradesh, and his father worked for the government. At one point, Murali Divi’s family relied on his father’s monthly pension of Rs 10,000 to make ends meet.
Murali Divi’s career
Murali Divi, despite failing his intermediate exams twice, did not let go of his dreams. He left for the US in 1976 with just Rs 500 in his possession and started working as a pharmacist. This information was reported by Forbes India.
Murali Divi achieved success in the US and worked for companies such as Trinity Chemical and Fike Chemical, earning an annual salary of USD 65,000.
Murali Divi returned to India with USD 40,000 but no clear plan for the future. In 1984, he partnered with Kallam Anji Reddy to establish Cheminor, which was eventually merged with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories in 2000.
After gaining 6 years of experience at Dr. Reddy’s Labs, Murali Divi founded Divi’s Laboratories in 1990 with a focus on developing commercial processes for the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates. The company established its first manufacturing facility in Choutuppal, Telangana in 1995, and later in 2002, launched its second manufacturing unit near Visakhapatnam. As of March 2022, the Hyderabad-based Divi’s Laboratories reported a revenue of Rs 88 billion.
Murali Divi completed his Pre-University Course (PUC) in Machilipatnam and then pursued his graduation at MIT, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. He completed his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
