Hyderabad: Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, Dr. Krishna Ella, has been awarded the prestigious Dean’s Medal by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The award was presented to Dr. Ella by Dean Ellen J. MacKenzie during Bloomberg School’s Convocation Ceremony at Baltimore, Maryland, for his exceptional leadership, enduring vision and contribution to improving public health.

John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health acknowledges Dr. Ella’s pioneering work, remarkable influence, and determination to develop an indigenous, innovative, and safe vaccine focused on global public health, according to a statement by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in May. This is the school’s highest honour, reserved for outstanding public health researchers and practitioners who demonstrate exceptional leadership in safeguarding and improving public health.

“I acknowledge this medal as a global recognition of India’s scientific excellence, and dedicate this medal to Bharat, which has shown remarkable success by advancing science and R&D, to our exemplary team of scientists, and the results of our strong commitment to the public,” said Krishna Ella on receiving the Dean’s Medal.

His contributions to shaping India’s policies on science, research and innovation made possible the development of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, including Covaxin, India’s own Covid-19 vaccine. Under his guidance, Bharat Biotech manufactured the first indigenous rotavirus vaccine (Rotavac), the first WHO-prequalified Typhoid conjugate vaccine (Tybar TCV) and Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine, JENVAC.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Bharat Biotech developed COVAXIN in a record time, conducting the largest-ever human clinical trials and peer-reviewed by world-leading medical journals.