Poonawalla Family zips from Shirdi to Pune after a quick pilgrimage stop

On June 4, the Poonawalla Family flew from Shirdi International Airport to Pune International Airport aboard their Bombardier Global 6500 (VT-CDC), a 21-minute hop covering 150 nautical miles. The flight, which reached 15,000 feet, was one of several movements that week for the family, including prior trips to Mumbai and New York.

The destination, Pune, is the home base of the family and headquarters of Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by doses. While no public event was immediately tied to this flight, Shirdi is a major pilgrimage site for followers of Sai Baba, and the family—particularly patriarch Cyrus Poonawalla—is known to visit the temple. The short turnaround suggests a private spiritual visit rather than a business meeting.

The return to Pune comes amid a busy stretch for the family: earlier in the week, their Global 6000 (VT-CDP) logged trips to Mumbai and Chandigarh, and a transcontinental jaunt between New York and Los Angeles on June 4. The Poonawallas have a fleet that includes a Gulfstream G550 and an Airbus H145 helicopter, and Pune remains their operational hub for both family and business travel.