Meet man who failed in class 12, later became doctor, now Hyderabad's richest person with net worth of Rs…

Dr. Murali Krishna Prasad Divi, the founder and Managing Director of Divi’s Laboratories, has a story of resilience and success that inspires many. His Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company became widely recognized during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the demand for Molnupiravir, an anti-viral drug, surged. This rapid growth boosted Dr. Divi’s wealth by billions of dollars, earning him the title of the richest man in Hyderabad.

Born in a small village in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district, Dr. Divi faced many challenges as the youngest of thirteen siblings in a financially struggling family. Despite failing his Class 12 exams and encountering hurdles in the first year of his Bachelor of Pharmacy course, he remained determined to succeed. After joining Warner Hindustan as a trainee in 1975, Dr. Divi pursued opportunities in the United States, arriving with only USD 7 in his pocket. However, a family emergency brought him back to India, where he partnered with Dr. Kallam Anji Reddy to acquire Cheminor Drugs in 1984.

In 1990, Dr. Divi established Divi’s Research Centre Pvt. Ltd., which provided technology and consulting services to pharmaceutical companies. By 1994, he had transformed it into Divi’s Laboratories, investing his savings to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Nalgonda. Today, Divi’s Laboratories is among the top three manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) globally, producing key components for medications treating arthritis, depression, and epilepsy.

The company has faced challenges, including a 2017 FDA restriction on its Visakhapatnam facility, which was resolved in six months. Currently, Divi’s Laboratories is venturing into green chemistry and exploring innovative treatments, such as GLP-1 peptides for obesity.

With a market capitalization of Rs 1.53 trillion, Dr. Divi’s journey from a struggling student to a global pharmaceutical leader is a testament to perseverance and vision.