Ashwini Kumar, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in-charge for last seven years, is retiring from services on August 31, 2006. He would be remembered as the drugs controller who has triggered the most revolutionary changes in the history of the country's apex drugs regulatory agency.

Kumar has been instrumental in kick starting the comprehensive modernization programme in the office of the DCGI. Months from now, with the inauguration of the newly constructed National Food and Drugs Bhawan, his long cherished dream to have a world class drug regulatory infrastructure in place would be fulfilled. He vacates office at a time when Indian drug regulatory system has started getting international recognition.

Having begun his regulatory career in 1976 as State Drugs Controller, Rajasthan, he moved to the Central Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as Deputy Drugs Controller (India) in 1986 and held different positions in Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi. He was given charge as DCGI in 1999.

Kumar is known as the top drug regulator who attempted to bring qualitative changes in the drug regulatory environment in the country through various initiatives like amendments to Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, preparation of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and Good Clinical Practices (GCP) guidelines, laying down policies and procedures for evaluation of new drugs developed through indigenous research, upgradation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), introduction of National Pharmacovigilance Programme, comprehensive amendment of Schedule Y, preparation of Good Storage Practices, upgradation of drug testing laboratories, computerization of drugs regulatory offices, formulation of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission etc.

He believed in meaningful industry-regulator partnerships to bring about responsible self-regulation within pharmaceutical industry.