Who is Natasha Poonawalla, the Indian businesswoman who made waves at the Met Gala?

The philanthropist is a familiar name in the fashion world, both in her country and internationally

Natasha Poonawalla in a Sabyasachi sari paired with an ornate Schiaparelli Couture corset. EPA

India businesswoman Natasha Poonawalla arrives at the In America: An Anthology of Fashion-themed Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, on Monday, May 2, 2022. Reuters

Poonawalla is the executive director of the Serum Institute of India and chairperson of Villoo Poonawalla Foundation. AFP

Poonawalla attends the 2022 Prince's Trust Gala at Cipriani 25 Broadway on April 28, 2022 in New York City. AFP

Poonawalla married Adar Poonawalla, chief executive of the Serum Institute of India, in 2006. EPA

From left: Dua Lipa, Marcus Piggott, Kristen McMenamy, Mert Alas and Poonawalla attend a cocktail reception ahead of The Fashion Awards 2021 at London's Royal Albert Hall on November 29, 2021. Getty Images

Editor-in-chief of British 'Vogue', Edward Enninful, and Poonawalla attend an exclusive party hosted by Frieze and Versace to celebrate London's creative community at Toklas on October 15, 2021. Getty Images for Frieze

Poonawalla attends the British Vogue x Tiffany & Co. Fashion and Film party at The Londoner Hotel in London on September 20, 2021. Getty Images

Poonawalla attends the LuisaViaRoma for Unicef event at La Certosa di San Giacomo on July 31, 2021 in Capri, Italy. Getty Images for Luisaviaroma

Indian actress, model and singer Priyanka Chopra and Poonawalla on day 12 of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 10, 2021. Getty Images

Poonawalla at the Exhibition Opening of L'Exibition[niste] by Christian Louboutin as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2020/2021 on February 24, 2020. Getty Images For Christian Louboutin

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, meet American musician Katy Perry and Poonawalla as they arrive at a reception for supporters of the British Asian Trust in London on February 4, 2020. Getty Images

Kristina O'Neill, Poonawalla, Imran Amed and Nikhil Mansata at an intimate presentation and cocktail event in celebration of BoF China Prize 2018 winner, Caroline Hu. This was held at Hotel Ritz in Paris. Getty Images for The Business of Fashion

Evangelo Bousis, Natasha Poonawalla and Peter Dundas at the 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2019 in New York City. AFP

Poonawalla at Michael Muller's HEAVEN, presented by The Art of Elysium, on January 5, 2019 in Los Angeles. AFP

Serum Institute of India's Executive Director Adar Poonawalla and his wife Natasha launch the country's first nasal H1N1 vaccine, 'Nasovac', at a news conference in Mumbai on July 14, 2010. AFP

Her dramatic Met Gala dress was the talk of the evening, but for many fashion followers around the world, the name Natasha Poonawalla is a familiar one. The Indian businesswoman and philanthropist is known as much for her style choices as her jet-setting lifestyle and celebrity friends, as she's often spotted at some of the biggest fashion events across the world, hobnobbing with everyone from Priyanka Chopra Jonas to Katy Perry and designer Christian Louboutin.

The striking Met Gala look she wore on Monday, celebrating the Indian sari, was created by Indian designer Sabyasachi and worn with an ornate Schiaparelli Couture corset that curved over her head. Accessorised with custom Sabyasachi Fine Jewellery pieces, her take on this year's theme, Gilded Glamour, which honoured New York's 19th century golden age between 1870 and 1890, was one of the most memorable looks of the star-studded evening.

Who is Natasha Poonawalla?

Natasha is the executive director of the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines. Her husband, Indian billionaire Adar Poonawalla, is chief executive of the company, which produces, among others, the Covishield coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. Natasha is also chairwoman of the Villoo Poonawalla Charitable Foundation, named after her late mother-in-law, a responsibility that takes her to events around the world.

Natasha was born in Pune, Maharashtra, where she grew up. She later went to pursue her master's degree at the London School of Economics. It was during this time, while on holiday in Goa, that she would meet her future husband Adar at a New Year's Eve party.

"We’d see each other every few months. His focus was clear from day one. He was like, ‘I like you. I know I want to get married. This is it'," she told Vogue India of their budding long-distance romance.

Adar is the only son of Indian billionaire Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, which includes the Serum Institute of India. Last month, Cyrus was named fourth on Forbes magazine's India's 100 Richest People list, with an estimated fortune of $24.3 billion. He ranks 56th in the world.

Natasha and Adar got married in 2006 and now have two boys, Cyrus and Darius.

Friends in high places

Often branded a socialite, Natasha, who was on the cover star of Vogue India in December last year, told the magazine she was so much more than that.

“I think I was misjudged a little bit,” she says. “People saw me dressing up and said, ‘She’s that fashion person on the racecourse.’ But I didn’t feel the need to expose the serious part of my life to everyone.”

The serious part, as an executive of the Serum Institute of India, was highlighted during the coronavirus pandemic when her and her husband's company became a key player in India's fight against Covid-19.

"This year, people have realised what I do,” she tells Vogue India.

Still, there's no denying her A-list friends, including her close friendship with Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan and her sister Karisma Kapoor, as well as actresses Malaika Arora and her sister Amrita Arora, all of whom appear often on her Instagram feed.

French designer Louboutin also makes regular appearances.

"There’s nothing in the world like friends who make you giggle non-stop," she once posted with a photo of the two of them.

Chopra Jonas and her husband Nick are also often seen photographed with Natasha, and so are Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor and husband Anand Ahuja.

In January, when the Jonases announced they were expecting their first child together via surrogacy, Natasha posted a congratulatory message along with a photo of herself with the happy couple.

"Congratulations PC and Nick! Thrilled for you guys… brace yourself for life’s greatest joyride! Wish you all the love and strength for this new chapter. From sleepless party nights to sleepless parenting nights — with you all the way!" she said.

A life in fashion

Natasha's Met Gala appearance on Monday was not her first time at the event.

In 2019, she turned heads in an icy-blue custom-made dress by designer Peter Dundas. The crystal embellished mini-dress worn, with a detachable draped skirt in blue and cinched at the waist by a silver belt, matched the theatrics on of the red carpet. As a nod to her Indian heritage, Natasha completed the look with a diamond maang tikka on her forehead.

Of her headline-grabbing dress at this year's Met Gala, she told Vogue India that she chose the Sabyasachi-Schiaparelli ensemble because it was "strong but feminine" and "a powerful tool for social change”

“Fashion to me is wearable art. Art in this sense is communication — it allows people from different cultures and times to communicate with each other via images, sounds and stories," she said. “I feel blessed to be present and happy to have survived the struggles that came with being part of the effort to fight the pandemic."

Scroll through the gallery below for the best-dressed celebrities at the Met Gala 2022:

Event co-hosts Blake Lively, wearing Atelier Versace, and Ryan Reynolds arrive at the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2. EPA

Kim Kardashian, in Marilyn Monroe's 'Happy Birthday, Mr President' dress, and Pete Davidson. AFP

Kylie Jenner wears an off-white wedding dress-style gown. AFP

Billie Eilish, wearing Gucci. Reuters

Gigi Hadid, wearing a Versace jumpsuit and puffer. AP Photo

Kendall Jenner, in a full black gown. AFP

Bella Hadid, wearing a black lace design. AFP

Daniel Roseberry and Carey Mulligan, wearing a gown with a gold bodice and train by Schiaparelli. AFP

Megan Thee Stallion, wearing in a gold two-piece Moschino design. Reuters

Lizzo, wearing black and gold Thom Browne. AP Photo

Khloe Kardashian, wearing a gold column Moschino gown. AFP

Emma Stone, wearing Louis Vuitton. EPA

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, both wearing Thom Browne. Reuters

Cynthia Erivo, wearing Louis Vuitton. EPA

Camila Cabello, wearing all-white Prabal Gurung. Reuters

Camila Mendes, wearing a gold Ami dress. AFP

Shawn Mendes, wearing Tommy Hilfiger. EPA

Dakota Johnson, wearing Gucci. AP

Austin Butler and Priscilla Presley, wearing Prada. AP Photo

Kate Moss, wearing a black velvet Burberry gown. AFP

Vanessa Hudgens, wearing a sheer black gown by Moschino. EPA

Kacey Musgraves, wearing Moschino. EPA

YouTuber Emma Chamberlain, wearing Louis Vuitton. AFP

Anna Wintour, wearing a multi-coloured sequin gown. EPA

Kris Jenner, wearing a yellow kaftan-style dress. AFP

Co-chair of the 2022 Met Gala Lin-Manuel Miranda and his wife Vanessa Nadal. AFP

Gemma Chan, wearing Louis Vuitton. AP Photo

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, wearing Louis Vuitton. AFP

Phoebe Dynevor, wearing Louis Vuitton. AP

Maude Apatow, wearing a sheer black Miu Miu dress. EPA

Amber Valletta, wearing a gold gown. EPA

Kaia Gerber, wearing shimmering Alexander McQueen. AFP

Dove Cameron, in a sheer gown with wing detail. AFP

Miranda Kerr, wearing white Oscar de la Renta. EPA

Jared Leto, matching Gucci's Alessandro Michele, both wearing Gucci. AP Photo

Addison Rae, wearing a shimmering gown. AFP

Awkwafina, wearing a peach to red ombre gown. AP Photo

Emily Ratajkowski, wearing vintage Versace. AFP

Lily James, in a beaded gown. AFP

Lily Allen, wearing a feathered Chanel gown, with husband David Harbour. AFP

Lily Aldridge, in a crystal Khaite gown. AFP

Simone Ashley, in a black skirt with a gold crop top by Moschino. AFP

Chloe Bailey, in a full gold gown. AP Photo

Naomi Campbell, in a black Burberry gown with sequinned detail. AP Photo

Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy. AP Photo

Cara Delevingne, wearing a red suit. AFP

Elon Musk, wearing white tie, with his mother, Maye Musk. AFP

Emma Corrin, wearing oversized Miu Miu. AP Photo

Gwen Stefani, wearing neon yellow Vera Wang. EPA

Kerry Washington, wearing black sheer Tory Burch. EPA

Jessica Chastain, wearing oxblood sequinned Gucci. AFP

Amy Schumer, Venus Williams, Gabriela Hearst and Xiye Bastida in head-to-toe black on the red carpet. EPA

Tessa Thompson, wearing pink tulle Carolina Herrera. AFP

Ariana DeBose, wearing black and gold Moschino. EPA

Sarah Jessica Parker, wearing monochrome Christopher John Rogers. EPA

Michaela Jae Rodriguez, wearing ombre gold and silver Moschino. AFP

Anitta, wearing purple peplum Moschino. AP Photo

Lila Grace Moss, wearing a nude sheer Burberry gown. AFP

Nicki Minaj, wearing a full black Burberry gown. EPA

Bad Bunny, wearing Burberry. AFP

Karlie Kloss, wearing lace Givenchy. AFP

Cardi B, in a gold gown. EPA

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz in a pink Givenchy dress. EPA

Glenn Close, in a pink caped dress, and Italian designer Pier Paolo Pasolini. AFP

Katy Perry, in a black dress with a full train. AFP

Winnie Harlow, in a white tulle design. AFP

Nicola Coughlan, wearing a black and pink gown. AFP