Chairperson and managing director of biopharma giant Biocon Ltd, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw on Thursday was given the ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur’ award for her contribution to biosciences and research field globally.

The biopharmaceutical firm issued a statement saying, “The award will be conferred on behalf of the President of the French Republic at a special ceremony later this year.”

“It is an absolute privilege for me to be appointed ‘Chevalier l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur’ and I am deeply grateful to the French government for this great honour,” said the Padma Bhushan awardee.

“I owe this recognition to my wonderful team at Biocon who have joined me in my mission to harness the power of biotechnology to provide affordable access to life saving biopharmaceuticals for cancer and diabetes,” Shaw said.

Shaw has been listed as the 77th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2016.

Chevalier l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur was created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is the highest civilian award of the French Republic for outstanding contribution in various fields.