Ahmedabad-based Pankaj Patel, chairman of Zydus Lifesciences, has cemented his position as India’s second richest Gujarati, with a net worth of Rs 84,510 crore, as per the M3M Hurun India Rich List 2025. The pharmaceutical leader is also positioned fourth among India’s top five pharma entrepreneurs, trailing only Cyrus Poonawalla, Dilip Shanghvi, and Murali Devi.
Patel, born and raised in Gujarat, has transformed Zydus from a domestic formulations firm into one of India’s most globally diversified drug makers. It also has its presence in more than 50 countries. Under his leadership, Zydus has progressively grown across vaccines, biosimilars, and complex generics while remaining focused on innovation.
Gujarat’s growth as a hub of pharma
Gujarat has been placed as a major contributor to India’s billionaire landscape and is further strengthened in Hurun 2025 with 139 entrants. This makes Gujarat the third-largest state after Maharashtra and Delhi.
Along with Patel, the state is also home to industrial and pharmaceutical leaders like Gautam Adani (Rs 8.14 lakh crore, Sudhir and Samir Mehta (Rs 62,2000 crore each) of Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Shahid Bilakhia (Rs 55,130 crore) of Meril Life Science, and Karsanbhai Patel (Rs 45,900 crore ) of Nirma. Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara continue to be crucial hubs, reflecting Gujarat’s dominance in manufacturing, chemicals, and pharma.
All about Pankaj Patel
Pankaj Ramanbhai Patel, 72, is the chairman of Zydus Lifesciences (formerly known as Cadila Healthcare), one of India’s top five pharmaceutical firms. He has a graduate degree from Gujarat University and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. Patel joined his father’s business in the 1970s and played a key role in a global generics house. Under his leadership, Zydus developed several breakthrough drugs and also launched ZyCoV-D, India’s first indigenously developed DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. He has also served as President of FICCI, Chairman of IIM Ahmedabad, and trustee of several healthcare and educational foundations.
