Poona’s generation next

"The goodwill and expectations are enormous but I think I have pretty well proved myself to be a decent achiever!” Thirty-three year-old Yohan Poona­walla, son of Poona’s famous horse breeder/businessman Zavaray Poona­walla, gave a frank interview to the monthly, Cita­del Pune (April 2005) referring to his business prowess, his passions and his commitment with 24-year-old cousin Adar (son of tycoon scientist Dr Cyrus Poonawalla) to be regarded "not as the second generation but generation next of a new world.”

A director of the Poonawalla group and managing director of Eagle Poona­walla Industry Limited, an associate of NOK Corporation, Japan, producing sophisticated mechanical seals, industrial valves and pneumatic actuators, Yohan mentioned, "We (Eagle Poona­walla) have zero loans today with the turnover having doub­led since the last two and a half years and the profits five times as much.” Preferring to be more of a businessman than a scientist Adar, who is involved in the day-to-day running of the Serum Insti­tute, was quoted by Citadel Pune as stating, "There’s tremendous scope in biotechnology today.” Directly in charge of the private domestic market with his team of 400 marketing personnel, Adar’s ambition is to "penetrate the regulated high value markets of the US and Europe and diversify in a focused manner — for instance, expanding the present anti-cancer products to a higher degree.”

Adar (left) and Yohan :"We are as close as our birthdays — mine a day after his!”

The common breeding ground for both the cousins is the family owned Poona­walla Stud Farms which Adar admits he does not visit as much as he should but hopes with cousins Yohan, Delna and Simone to maintain its current number one position. "It may not be generating the required income but the respect we have gained as horse breeders the world over is awe­some,” reported Adar.

The cousins share a good working relationship and as conveyed Yohan, "We are as close as our birthdays — mine a day after his!” Yohan, an ex-Bishopite and ex-Ness Wadian with a management degree from the UK is known for his lavish home, envious fleet of gleaming limos, sports cars, vintage beauties and four Rolls-Royce, magnificent horses, ritzy races and glitzier parties. "Yes I like the high life and unlike others I don’t mind admitting to it...I love flying, be it airplanes or model planes!”

Media shy Adar though would prefer his "work to do the speaking.” He wants to have a "solid, hard core seven years’ working experience in my home-run business before...getting a management degree from Harvard.” He may have spent 10 years in England, studying at Canterbury and later at the University of Westminster but Adar speaks fluent Marathi and Hindi too realiz­ing it helps "connecting with your people.”