The Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), one of the leading institutions in Mumbai in the fields of chemical engineering, chemical technology, and pharmacy, awarded the inaugural version of “Dr. K. Anji Reddy Memorial Fellowship for Affordable Biopharmaceuticals” to Mr. Satish Reddy, Chairman, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited, for his immense contribution to the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The fellowship was delivered at ICT’s 4th edition of Biosimilar Workshop, held on February 2, 2023 in Goa. The fellowship has been envisaged to honour the life and dedication to the pharmaceutical field of Dr. K. Anji Reddy, an alumnus of ICT and founder of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited.
Dignitaries present at the felicitation ceremony included Prof. M. M. Sharma, Former Director, UDCT; Prof. Aniruddha Bhalchandra Pandit, Vice Chancellor, ICT; Prof. Y. K. Gupta, President, AIIMS – Bhopal and Jammu; Prof. S. S. Bhagwat, Dean, Academic Programmes, ICT; Dr. K V Surendranath, Sr. Vice President, USP; Dr. Ratnesh Jain, UGC Assistant Professor, ICT and Dr. Prajakta Dandekar Jain, UGC Assistant Professor, ICT. The event was witnessed by faculty members, students & alumni of ICT and industry peers.
Dr. Kallam Anji Reddy was a well-known scientist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. An erudite and patriotic visionary, he set up Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories in 1984. From the outset, he realised that if medicines had to serve their purpose, they had to be affordable and accessible. Dr. K. Anji Reddy envisioned bringing molecules to India at a price the common man can afford. But this was not the only way by which he helped people. From supporting a hospital for the elderly, to setting up the Dr. Reddy’s Foundation in 1996, Dr. K. Anji Reddy’s philanthropic endeavours are well-documented. His memoir “Unfinished Agenda” shows his zeal and faith in science and urge to do what he could in every walk of life with unwavering conviction, be it affordable medicines or drug discovery or social responsibility. For his excellence, Dr. K. Anji Reddy was honoured with Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2011 by the Government of India.
As the Chairman of Dr. Reddy’s, Mr. Satish Reddy has led the organization’s transition from a uni-focused manufacturer of APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) to a company that moved up the value-chain with a diverse product portfolio of Finished Dosage Formulations. He oversaw the expansion and establishing of a strong footprint for Dr. Reddy’s finished dosage products in Russia, China and other emerging markets. As an active member of major industry associations and governmental panels, He played a key role in shaping policies concerning the pharmaceutical sector that include India’s patent law, drug pricing and important amendments to the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. Keeping true to the legacy of the founder of the company, Dr. K. Anji Reddy, Mr. Satish Reddy drives the organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. The Dr. Reddy’s Foundation, of which he is Chairman, works to help the less privileged create sustainable livelihoods through appropriate vocational education.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Aniruddha Bhalchandra Pandit, Vice Chancellor, ICT said, “Initiating Dr. K. Anji Reddy Memorial Fellowship Award during this Biosimilar Workshop 2023 has been the highlight of the event mainly because it has recognised the contribution of Dr. K. Anji Reddy in starting the activity of providing Biosimilars through research and innovation for affordable medicines.”
