The Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA), which is celebrating golden jubilee of its establishment, will distribute free anti-cancer drugs to hospitals as part of golden jubilee celebrations. The year-long golden jubilee celebrations of the IDMA will conclude with a gala function on January 6 and 7, 2012 at Hotel Intercontinental the Lalit, Mumbai.

“IDMA’s 50 th annual celebrations is going to be a never forgettable experience. It will be a commemorative event bringing into focus the history of our association, with the presence and participation of all members, friends and well-wishers. it is going to be a perfect combination of knowledge sharing and entertainment, a communion of art and science,” said N I Gandhi, chairman of the golden jubilee celebrations committee of the IDMA, and managing director of Mumbai-based Lyka Labs.

A host of luminaries from various spheres - Indian pharma industry, economics, management, science & technology, IT, politics and entertainment will be converging at the golden jubilee celebrations which is being organized on January 6 – 7, 2012 at Hotel Intercontinental the Lalit, Mumbai.

The celebrations will include a two-day seminar on January 6 and 7, where crucial topics concerning the industry will be discussed and debated by experts.

Union minister for agriculture and consumer affairs Sharad Pawar will inaugurate the celebration, which will also see participation of Praful Patel, union minister for heavy industries, Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and Maharashtra State Food & Drug minister, Satej Patil. Some of key speakers at the conference will include Dilip Shanghavi, managing director, Sun Pharma, Pankaj Patel, chairman Zydus Cadila, Dr Prakash Mody, chairman and managing Director, Unichem Labs, P C Godha, managing director, IPCA Labs, Vallabh Bhansali, chairman Enam Securities, T C A Ranganathan, chairman and managing director, EXIM Bank, Utkarsh Palnitkar, executive director, Centrum Capital, Sudarshan Jain, director, Abbott Healthcare, etc.

Noted inspiration writer Shiv Khera and author of “Winners don’t do different things, they do things differently,” will speak upon the importance of creating winners out of pharma industry by doing things differently.  Martin Khor, executive director, South Centre, an intergovernmental policy think tank of developing countries based in Geneva will speak on the global importance of Indian generic medicines. Dr Rekha Shetty, managing director of Farstan distribution Network will speak on innovations.

“IDMA has been instrumental in making medicines and healthcare accessible and affordable to the common man of the country. We have been always supportive of campaigns that are in the interests of an average Indian. IDMA was always in the forefront of the campaign during all four amendments to the Indian Patents Act. IDMA successfully fought against international pressure from MNCs who wanted the Patents law diluted and amended in their favour,” said N R Munjal, president, IDMA.