Pune, the host city of the 54th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress, is coming up in the pharmaceutical map of India with a steady growth of industrial units of late. The place, which has the fundamental strength of academic and research institutions, is ideal for the growth of any knowledge-based industry. The city has now been moving to the forefronts of the country''s healthcare sector at a faster pace now.

The Maharashtra government''s recent initiatives to make the city a hub of its biotechnology activities, the advances of Pune towards the credential of being a pharma city in the West zone of India has been boosted multifold. Currently, housing as many as 50 pharmaceutical manufacturing units and almost the same number of corporate houses, this small city is contributing to the country''s total pharmaceutical production to the tune of Rs 1,300 crore.

Though the beginning of the pharmaceutical industry at this area was pioneered by the comparatively smaller entrepreneurs like Rajaram B Parge of Libra Drugs, Varma of Varma Pharmacy, Godbole and Joshi of Eisen Pharmaceuticals and Mohan Talwalkar of T-Walkers, Patankar, Gokhale, and Purohit of Magnachem in the early 60s, with the establishment of the country''s largest and the first public sector antibiotic company, Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd at Pimpri, the city was actually coming to the pharmaceutical limelight.

Following this, Dr Cyrus Poonawala''s Serum Institute of India could also claim credit for placing Pune on the world healthcare spectrum as it started manufacturing vaccines and sera catering to international market in the late sixties.

However, in the sector of Indian systems of medicine, Ayurveda Rasshala took the lead. Around 1980, Manubhai Desai''s BAIF Lab was progressing in the area of loan license manufacturing and many young entrepre-neurs started providing manufacturing facilities for multinational companies. Li Taka Pharmaceuticals, Emcure, and Biostar Pharmaceuticals are currently the specialized units with modern facilities to manufacture quality medicines. Dnyaneshwar Agashe''s Brihans was also established during this time.

Around 1990, it saw arrival of many new and major pharma corporates in and around the city. These are Cipla at Kurkumbh, Crosland and Boots at Jejuri, Aqua Fine Injectables, Fresenius Kabi at Ranjangaon, Prophyla Biologicals at Pirangut, Venky''s at Singhagad Road. S.P.B. Pharmaceuticals and Iatros Pharma also established during this phase.

After 1995, many other units like Austin Pharma, Everest Pharma, Ayupl Pharma, Green Pharmacy, Baksun Pharma, Omni Cure Pharma, Novatrend, Purohit''s Cosmeticules started their contribution to this sector here.

Pharmacy Education
Indian Pharmaceutical Association Pune Branch established the first D Pharm College in Pune and later in 1978, Bharati Vidyapeeth under the dynamic leadership of Dr Patangrao Kadam gave a totally professional outlook to pharmacy education in the city.

The first degree pharmacy college -- Poona College of Pharmacy - was established in 1981 as an ideal education centre in pharmacy education. Poona College of Pharmacy now offers B Pharm, M Pharm, PhD programmes and currently it has also got immense credibility as the only college in India having a manufacturing unit, Get Rid Pharmaceuticals -- attached to the college. This college also has a Public Testing Laboratory approved by the FDA, Maharashtra State and has also received A Grade by NBA from AICTE.

In 1991 Sable Waghire College of Pharmacy was established at Saswad having D Pharm and B Pharm. programme. After 1994 many pharmacy colleges were started. Shri. P.D. Patil''s Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Pharmacy for B.Pharm. and M.Pharm, A.I.S.S.M.S. College of Pharmacy, MCE Society''s Allan College of Pharmacy, M.I.T.''s Maharashtra Institute of Pharmacy, Progressive Education Society''s Modern College of Pharmacy, Sinhagad Technical Education Society''s Sinhagad college of Pharmacy are established recently. More than 400 B.Pharm., 180 D.Pharm., and 32 M.Pharm. pass out every year from Pune Pharmacy Education institutes and make their career in pharmacy profession.

Pharmacy Management Institute
Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research established in 1990 conducts more than 14 applied job oriented comprehensive pharmaceutical management courses and is a one-of-its-kind institute in India. More than 300 students pass out every year getting good job opportunities in pharmacy profession. IPER is highly recognized in the pharmaceutical industry and has established itself very well to cater the needs of the pharmacy profession.

Pharmaceutical Consultancy
Three consultants from Pune have established themselves very well in pharmaceutical profession -- R.M.Gupta''s Perfect Consultancy contributing for documentation, D.M.F. File and well known all over India. Dr. M.D. Burande''s ADBEEZ with multidimensional work in making promotional materials, displays on GMP, Positive Attitude, Quality and training programs on marketing, GMP, Community Pharmacy are highly recognized in pharmacy profession. Atul Shirgaonkar''s Insight Services established in training on GMP, Documentation and has conducted more than 500 programms in last five years.

Testing Laboratories
Indian Drugs Research Association, Accurate Analytical Services, Poona College of Pharmacy Public Testing Laboratory carrying out routine testing of drugs. For toxicological and animal studies, Dr. Bhide''s Indian Institute of Toxicology, Dr Naik, Dr Deshmukh, Dr Pores, INTOX, Dr Aptes''s Toxicology laboratory are doing extraordinary work.

R&D Units
In and around Pune many R&D Centres are established. National Chemical laboratory (NCL) is the one of the pioneering and the prestigious CSIR laboratories located in Pune, which is engaged in basic research in chemistry and also in drug discovery in a big way.

Bio-ved Pharmaceuticals, engaged in herbal research is currently one of the most promising R&D unit for herbal products in the country. The other national institution, National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) engaged cells and tissue engineering research also operate in Pune. Of late, Lupin Research and Development Park manned with 300 R&D scientists has come up in the outskirts of Pune with an investment of Rs 300 crore

Allied sector
Associated Capsules with capsule manufacturing unit at Shirwal and Pam-Pack Manufacturing Unit producing blister pack machines are from the allied sector. Bilcare of Bhandaris taking care of medicines by manufacturing foils for medicines. More than four repackaging units in the city contribute to the needs of all chemist shops. There are around four to five bulk drug manufacturing units around Pune producing quality bulk drugs. The contribution of J B Chemicals is excellent in this area.

Dr. Gaitonde''s contribution of producing HPLC Columns is also rewarded. Inland Chemi Drugs of Suresh Wadhava the largest distributor of bulk drugs is also contributing in big way for Pune Pharmaceutical belt.