Noted industrialist and chairman of Cadila Pharmaceuticals and its Group companies Indravadan A Modi passed away on November 26, 2012. He was 87.
Pioneer of Indian pharmaceuticals industry, Modi is revered in the Indian pharmaceutical Industry as the champion of Indian Patents Act, 1970 which helped the Indian pharmaceuticals industry in attaining its present global status. He played a major role in giving shape to the 1986 Drug Policy of Government of India.
His contributions are widely acclaimed in the industry circles. Modi represented the National Working Group on Patent Laws, India (NWGPL) and Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) on the subject “Patent Regime” proposed in the Uruguay Round at Delhi 1993. Besides, he was one of the key promoters of the B V Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre (PERD).
Born in a small village of Hansot of Bharuch district in South Gujarat on February 18, 1926, Modi has left a long lasting impact on Indian Pharmaceuticals industry and was very active till the last moment.
In newly independent India, when the myth was prevalent that Indian companies cannot make medicines and ‘angrezi dawa’ was the word for allopathic medicine, Modi dared to foray in Pharmaceutical industry and established Cadila and initiated a new era of Pharmaceutical industry in the country. His entrepreneurship inspired many new young technocrats to venture into Pharma industry, which ultimately led India to self reliance in the Pharmaceutical Industry.
Under his leadership Cadila Pharmaceutical achieved new milestones and offered many innovative and ‘firsts in the world’ medicines to the mankind including rabeprazole in IV form for upper GI bleeding, polycap for prevention of cardiovascular diseases, risorine with booted rifampicin for the treatment of Tuberculosis etc. He also has the credit to bring cutting edge technology VPL (Virus Like Particles) for vaccine manufacturing in India.