A Multitude of Gurus

Dr Gopakumar G Nair

Having moved abruptly from the (virtual) fundamental research corridors of National Chemical Laboratories, Pune and the Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Mumbai into the then ‘harsh realities’ of the Indian pharmaceutical industry in the late sixties, I had a multitude of gurus.

Ajit Singh of Associated Capsules (of whom I remained an admirer of his astute management acumen), MK Rangnekar, the then Drugs Controller of Maharashtra State (he became a Ph.D later, but came into some disrepute), SK Borkar, the then Drugs Controller of India (a very hardened nationalist and firm believer of the future potential of Indian pharma industry), Bhai Mohan Singh of Ranbaxy who was the later President of IDMA in the early seventies and in whose house at Delhi we always used to meet when the IDMA delegation was going to Delhi to meet the then nationalist government under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Dr Nityanand, the then Director of Central Drug Research Institute and later Director of Ranbaxy, the list of my gurus are endless, all the more, because I entered the pharma industry as a novice.

I still remember (have a series of anecdotes to cherish) when Ajit Singh and his brother Jasjit Singh brought a ‘capsule filling machine’ (hand operated), which we (BDH – Bombay Drug House) had ordered, to our then Mahim factory in the ‘dicky’ of their car and demonstrated its operation to us, including me. The (Annual) ‘pharmacy week’ was a great time for me, because all the stalwart gurus, used to come together, on such occasions.

GP Nair and Dr Abraham Patani: First pharma gurus

G P Nair

However, all said and done, my prime teacher was none other than GP Nair, JP (Justice of Peace), who was the then Managing Director of Bombay Drug House. who was the President of Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) from its early days of 1961 to 1971, a full 10 plus years. He along with the then Founder Secretary of IDMA, Dr Abraham Patani (he has always been my favourite guru), were the prime movers of the now famous 1970 amendment of the (Indian) Patents Act, 1911 (leading to the Patents Act, 1970 and the Patents Rules 1972). On the foundation of the strong national spirit of Indira Gandhi, IDMA could get the Act amended, but IDMA being a Mumbai-based fledgling association did not have the ‘muscle’ power or ‘wherewithal’ to get the Patent Rules passed through the various department of the Ministries involved. That is when, GP Nair and Patani came up with the idea of inviting Mohan Singh to become the President of IDMA.

No sooner did Mohan Singh became President of IDMA, he managed to get the Patent Rules tabled in Parliament (it was mandatory then) and the now famous Patents Act, 1970 came into force in 1972. He was one of the immediate beneficiaries of the new Patents Act, because his branded generic product Calmpose (Diazepam which was the generic version of Valium of innovator, Roche) which grew (along with Ranbaxy) by leaps and bounds. The other leading beneficiaries were Unichem (Padma Bhushan Amrut Mody), Dr Shanti Patel (Themis who had an alliance with an East European Pharma group), Ramanbhai Patel and AV Modi of Cadila and the triumvirate of Lyka (led by Easwarabhai Gandhi and Pannalal Choksi) and others.

Having moved from pure and fundamental research (NMR in Organic Chemistry) into pharma, I had a lot to learn from GP Nair. I still remember his parting words at the IDMA Annual Day, when he stepped down as the President. Patani and many speakers had praised him for his unstinted support to the Indian drug industry. In reply, he said, “I don’t really feel that what I have done is all that great. But I do know, for sure, what I have not done. I have never made use of the platform of IDMA for any personal gain or self-enrichment.” This was a lesson I learned from him. Throughout my association with IDMA from the early seventies till today, I had learned from him, how not to misuse ones public office for personal gains. In this respect (and in many others including the high degree of nationalism and self-reliance), he is always remembered by me as my first guru in the pharma industry.

It is hard to remember GP Nair without his Indian pharma (junior) twin Patani.

The camaraderie between them for the national cause was immense and intense. Without hurting the sentiments of any other stalwarts, I dare to say that Indian pharma industry is what it is today, because of selfless self-reliant agenda pushed through by Patani with help from GP Nair. In later years, Patani became a mentor for me, not only in IDMA, the then Chemexcil (Export Promotion Council), on many overseas government delegations and in the evolution of IDMA Bulletin and the refinement of “Indian Drugs,” the now famous publications of IDMA. “To be a self-reliant nationalist to the core” is something I have learned from these two stalwarts. Even today, I admire Patani and adore him as my ‘guru’ in nationalism.

On Dr Yusuf Hamied and his protégés

“After doing my Post Graduate Diploma in Patent Law and Practice I became the Dean of IIPS in Hyderabad and had the opportunity to work with the stalwarts of the pharma Industry in Hyderabad. The then Matrix (which has now evolved into Mylan) was born at the same time.” Dr Gopakumar G Nair, IPR consultant and Founder CEO, Patent Gurukul, Gopakumar Nair Associates

Another stalwart whom I admired and appreciated from early days is Dr Yusuf Hamied. On his return from abroad after his studies, I met him first time in IDMA around the time he took over the mantle of Cipla from his illustrious father Dr Khwaja A Hamied (with whom I had a good acquaintance) in early se venties. Yusuf was (and is even today) the most brilliant organic chemist and pharma chemist in India. Combining his chemistry with the burning ‘Fire in the Blood’ of true nationalistic spirit, he (and Cipla) always remained the backbone (and backbencher, forsome unusual inexplicable reasons) of Indian pharma industry.

Yusuf had this uncanny ability to bring out the best in people for a common cause. Dr AV Rama Rao, my erstwhile colleague in NCL and who is presently the Managing Director, AVRA Laboratories, Dr (Late) Vedaraman, the then Controller General of Patents, BK Keayla of the National Working Group in Delhi and many others could, in part (other being IDMA) be termed as the ‘finds’ or protégés of the national cause by Yusuf.

N H Israni

In later years, NH Israni who was earlier part of the MNC bandwagon had joined the national sector through his own Blue Cross Laboratories. I consider it my proud privilege to have worked with him as well at close quarters.

Veteran turns student under Late Margi Patel-Choksi

In later years, when I took the ‘reverse plunge’ out of the pharma industry, to jump into the ‘patent’ pool of the post Uruguay Round WTO/TRIPs, I had the unique experience of finding my modern era guru. The post-1970 cool and calm ‘patent waters’ was turning turbulent by the mid-nineties. In the late nineties, with my colleague in IDMA, Dr Dinesh Patel (the then President, IDMA) being the Vice President of SVKM (Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal), a new institution, Institute of Intellectual Property Studies, was born. I had the privilege of being the first registered student and was also proud to meet Patel-Choksi, a fresh LLM from UK, whose assistance IDMA (under guidance from NH Israni) had taken for help in policy making. My post-sixty association with Margi Patel-Choksi, who was then in her twenties, and her working and management style, helped transform meimmensely. When all around, I had been treated as a veteran, Patel-Choksi treated me purely as a ‘student’ and subjected me to all the blatant and (almost brutal) criticism and guidance a student deserves.

Late Margi Patel-Choksi

After doing my Post Graduate Diploma in Patent Law and Practice, under the encouragement of Patel-Choksi, I became the Dean of IIPS in Hyderabad and had the opportunity to work with the stalwarts of the pharma Industry in Hyderabad. The then Matrix (which has now evolved into Mylan) was born at the same time.

Patel-Choksi and Dwivedi, my co-student at IIPS and Principal of the then JC Law College (now the Pravin Gandhi five-year Law College) persuaded me to do my LLB, through which I am proud to have become a practicing lawyer and Patent Attorney post retirement from the pharma industry after nearly 40 years of active association. Patel-Choksi (she expired one year back) remains my youngest and fondest of the long line of gurus who made an impact in my life and because of whom I cherish and enjoy my association with the Indian pharma industry.

Sishya turned guru: Arun Kumar, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Strides Arcolab

Last but not the least, I just missed naming a guru, who is in fact a sishya (protégé) turned potential guru for no fault of the guru, but because I have failed to emulate this guru. I am referring to Arun Kumar, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Strides Arcolab whom I admire and wish to learn from, but in his domain, I have no ability to learn and emulate.

(With inputs from Usha Sharma)