Understanding Pharma Industry

India ranks third in the Pharmaceutical Industry in terms of World. Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad are the major cities in India. With an annual growth rate of more than 15% over the last few years, brings significant growth opportunities. I got to know this industry in depth through an elderly man I meet regularly in my morning walks living next lane. His name is Radhakrishna Murthy, a retired Bulk Drug Advisor from Bulk Drug Manufacturing Association. We initially spoke on general topics and I asked him to let me know about is this Industry.

I started my career after graduation in English Literature and Law from Osmania University. I studied law in morning classes. The curriculum in Law covers all subjects including civil, criminal matters such as Contact act, Evidence Act, Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Company Law. After completing Law, I joined LIC. I didn’t find much charm exhibiting one’s own talent and after 17 years and I found it quite inconvenient to hop about places and hence I decided to leave.  At that point of time I got an offer from a Japanese Pharmaceutical Company – “Uni Sankyo” which was founded in the year 1969 which is now renamed as “Sanzyme”  as a Sr. Manager. I contributed in the Commercial Management of the company which contains Public Relations, lizon as well as Legal matters. Subsequently I became the General Manager for a cement plant of Adilabad and after few years I was offered an opportunity to work with Bulk Drug Manufacturers  through the relation I built while I worked with Uni Sankyo, I was in touch with several people. Thanks to IDPL, talent has come out on Pharmaceutical industry. There were about 250 units in Hyderabad. I immediately accepted the offer as it was a service orientation. From 1991 I continued to be on BDMA – Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association. I was given a role as a Secretary General later as an Executive Director. As I’m 80+ years now I decided to work as an Advisor making someone else to be an Executive Director.

It’s a challenging job to unite all the Manufacturers, all the capitalists. When there’s a problem to the Drug Industry, I used to unite them and discuss with the then Government of Andhra Pradesh, Government of India and foreign companies on pollution and other legal matters. I have met Ministers and other officials for the same. I developed an independent platform to deal with all such things.

Pharmaceutical Industry – Manufactures products – Tablets, Injections, Capsules, etc. Pharma Graduates with Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology background have a career in research and development in the Pharmaceutical Industries. 

A Pharmacist can get R&D roles within pharmaceutical, biotech, agro and FMCG sectors. There are few other roles a Pharmacist can become – QC / QA roles, they are making a satisfying and rewarding career. M.Pharma with Pharmaceutical Chemistry or Pharmaceutical Biotechnology specialization will help in achieving a role as an Analytical R&D where identifying new and more effective formulations (combinations of active drugs and other constituents) is as important as finding a new drug molecule. Community Pharmacy is one of the core career opportunities, which most suited to Doctor of Pharmacy graduates. The role involves counselling patients, advising them on dosage and intake for taking the medicines. The sales and marketing job function absorbs the maximum number of pharmacy graduates. The number of jobs available in the sales function is plenty. 

The vacancies for Pharmacist in Hospitals, Railways, Armed Forces are there, but they are too few to accommodate even 10% (the figure could be even less than that) of Pharmacy graduates that pass out annually. After B Pharm with few years of experience one can apply for Drug Inspector and Pharmacist government Jobs exams. B Pharm graduates are also eligible for SSC, UPSC, State PSC and bank jobs etc like other graduates.

You can refer more on government opportunities from Quora.

As I said I continue to work as an Legal Advisor for few companies, I work along with a Group of Advocates – Dr. Kaliashnath Pillai of Supreme Court of Delhi, Ch. Samson Babu and his Juniors. One of us summarise the case and forward it to our group and we would assist our industries in Law Courts.

”Serve the people and earn money in the process” – Parvinder Singh, Ranbaxy (MD & Founder)

I believe Serving is important and earning money is secondary. I think I successfully carried the anthem on this in my life.

The main person who stood like rock when there were legal cases is Mr. Chandra Shekar Reddy, the CMD of SOL – Standard Organic Limited. He was the main pillar of Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association (BDMA), followed by Mr. Ramesh Jain, there and then Secretary of BDMA, Dr. V V Subbah Reddy, Subsequent President of BDMA, Mr. P V Ranveer, Mr. Jayanth Tagore, Mr. V V Krishna Reddy, now President of BDMA and many more. They have given their entire support. Mrs. Sheela Bhide, IAS is a respectable person who helped all of us from the government department to discuss the issues of pharmaceutical companies. Dr. A V Rama Rao of IICT, Padma Sri and Padma Bhushan Holder and also K V Raghavan of IICT. These are people who enthused me to develop more in my Work & also gave Moral strength. My family always gave full support that led me have win several cases.

I Walk, for 45 mins in the morning to stay healthy and fit, listen to classical music to keep my mind pleasant and watch News.  I interact with school going children and youngsters to understand the current generation and I enjoy their company. 

I teach Law subjects on CA, CS and Cost Accountants to the students who approach me. I have a passion to help the poor children in their school studies. Once in a while I also contribute for their studies and also to the temples for providing food to the poor.

Youngsters of Pharma Educational Background should undergo practical training, where theoretical subjects would only help in Academic Career. One should be synchronized with Industrial knowledge. Skill Development Council, a government training and development programme helps students choose the branch of their interest. The Council usually makes public announcements of the scheduled for the Skill Development Programs that would be for 6 months to 2 years. Students of Pharmacy and BSc graduates are given orientation towards commercial and production of pharmaceutical industries. They are also taught specialisation and trained in their respective branch of interest with good opportunities.

This Council will help youngsters to moderate with the industry. Very recently a meeting was held where I participated. There’s a lot of potential, Health is the primary activity that has to be taken by the Government. The course is structured such that the academics are related to the industrial work and this combination will sooner get relief. Pharmaceutical industry plays the lead for better health all over the world. So, they must condition themselves to the industrial atmosphere.