Which was India's first biotech company? Take the Rediff Biz Quiz and find out how much you know about India and its biotech firms.
1. Last year, what was the turnover of Biocon, India's largest biotech company? a) Rs 285 crore b) Rs 400 crore c) Rs 187 crore
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is Rs 285 crore. In 2002, Biocon, India's biggest biotech company posted turnover of Rs 285 crore and profit of Rs 60 crore. For the current financial year, Biocon is targeting a turnover of Rs 520 crore and profit of Rs 120 crore. Biocon is planning to go for an IPO within the next year or so. Currently, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder and managing director of Biocon and her husband hold 70 per cent of the stake in the company, employees 15 per cent and VCs 12.5 per cent.
Correct! In 2002, Biocon, India's biggest biotech company posted turnover of Rs 285 crore and profit of Rs 60 crore. For the current financial year, Biocon is targeting a turnover of Rs 520 crore and profit of Rs 120 crore. Biocon is planning to go for an IPO within the next year or so. Currently, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder and managing director of Biocon and her husband hold 70 per cent of the stake in the company, employees 15 per cent and VCs 12.5 per cent.
2. Which is India's second largest biotech company? a) Wockhardt Life Sciences b) Panacea Biotech c) Wipro Health Sciences
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is Panacea Biotech. In 2003, the Association of Biotechnology-led Enterprises (ABLE) the Nasscom equivalent for the biotech sector - conducted a survey that puts Biocon India as the country's topmost outfit with a turnover of Rs 285 crore followed by Panacea Biotec of New Delhi (Rs 169.88 crore) and Wipro Health Sciences (Rs 98.55 crore). Wockhardt and Haffkine are the remaining two players in the top five.
Correct! In 2003, the Association of Biotechnology-led Enterprises (ABLE) the Nasscom equivalent for the biotech sector - conducted a survey that puts Biocon India as the country's topmost outfit with a turnover of Rs 285 crore followed by Panacea Biotec of New Delhi (Rs 169.88 crore) and Wipro Health Sciences (Rs 98.55 crore). Wockhardt and Haffkine are the remaining two players in the top five.
3. In India, the largest number of biotech companies operate in which segment? a) Agriculture b) Vaccines c) Enzymes
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is Agriculture. A sectoral break-up of the biotech market in India has shown that the largest percentage of the biotech companies in India operate in the agricultural domain. 24 percent of all biotech companies are in the agri-biotech area. More than 16 percent are in the human health area, including biodiagonstics and vaccines. The agri-biotech industry experienced a boost in the years 94-97 when as many as 12 out of 52 companies were incorporated, thereafter 8 companies have been incorporated.
Correct! A sectoral break-up of the biotech market in India has shown that the largest percentage of the biotech companies in India operate in the agricultural domain. 24 percent of all biotech companies are in the agri-biotech area. More than 16 percent are in the human health area, including biodiagonstics and vaccines. The agri-biotech industry experienced a boost in the years 94-97 when as many as 12 out of 52 companies were incorporated, thereafter 8 companies have been incorporated.
4. Which was India's first biotech company? a) Shanta Biotech b) Biocon c) Haffkine Biopharmaceutical
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is Haffkine Biopharmaceutical. Biocon is popularly regarded as India's first biotech company. It was established in 1978. But the Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation was formed in 1975. Today it is rated as the fifth largest biotech company in India with a turnover of over Rs 70 crore.
Correct! Biocon is popularly regarded as India's first biotech company. It was established in 1978. But the Haffkine biopharmaceutical corporation was formed in 1975. Today it is rated as the fifth largest biotech company in India with a turnover of over Rs 70 crore.
5. Strand Genomics, India's first bioinformatics company, was formed by four professors from which institute? a) IIT-Bombay b) Indian Institute of Science c) Center for Molecular Technology and Research
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is Indian Institute of Science. Strand Genomics, the first bio-informatics company in India started in November 2000, is a biosciences knowledge management company. The founders of Strand Genomics: Vijay Chandru, Ramesh Hariharan, Swami Manohar and V Vinay were professors at IISc working on different projects and interested in the life science informatics area during 1993-94. They soon approached the Department of Biotechnology, as an intellectual enterprise, in the mid-Nineties. The group of four then started organizing seminars and workshops in computational biology where they interacted with biologists from around India and the US.
Correct! Strand Genomics, the first bio-informatics company in India started in November 2000, is a biosciences knowledge management company. The founders of Strand Genomics: Vijay Chandru, Ramesh Hariharan, Swami Manohar and V Vinay were professors at IISc working on different projects and interested in the life science informatics area during 1993-94. They soon approached the Department of Biotechnology, as an intellectual enterprise, in the mid-Nineties. The group of four then started organizing seminars and workshops in computational biology where they interacted with biologists from around India and the US.
