Dr Maharaj Kishan Bhan, the man who developed India’s first rotavirus vaccine, passed away recently. A former secretary in the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the 72-year old had been battling with pancreatic cancer for some time.
Dr Bhan had played a significant role in Indian healthcare. Amidst all his achievements, the most important – the rotavirus vaccine development – helped lower the cost of vaccination for diarrhoea, a major cause of death among children below five years in India. The three-dose vaccination course of Rotavac vaccine for full immunisation costs Rs 180, whereas the two other WHO-approved vaccines available in the market cost around Rs 2,500 per course.
Dr Bhan had also set up several institutions that enabled the collaboration between the biotechnology industry and academia.
Born just three months after India got its independence, Dr Bhan completed his MBBS from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune and later got an MD from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh. Thereafter, he went on to conduct comprehensive research for his post-doctorate at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) that focussed on the role of micronutrients, especially zinc.