DCGI Dr Surinder Singh, OPPI president Ranga Iyer, and Reddy's Laboratories chairman Dr Anji Reddy have been selected as among the 40 most influential personalities of the global pharma industry by the World Pharmaceutical Frontiers.

The annual list of 2009, judged by their contributions to the pharma industry, is led by US president Barak Obama. It also has some other well-known names like Bill and Melinda Gates, former US president Bill Clinton, WHO director general Margaret Chan among others including the heads of a number of global pharma majors. But there are only a very few from Asian region and all the three Indians in the list have made it this time as new entrants, while many of others were there in the previous list also.

"Last year, the top ten was dominated by science, with the number one slot going to Mario C Capecchi, Oliver Smithies and Sir Martin J Evans. The judging panel concluded that this was the result of the need for pharma to find that next big winner. This year, while some of the key players from the world's biggest pharma make it in there, regulations will be the great definer of the year ahead. The most obvious demonstration of that is the entry of the new US president at number one," World Pharmaceutical Frontiers said.

"As drugs controller general of India, Surinder Singh heads the regulatory body of this increasingly important market where the pace of change is picking up. However, India's challenges are similar to those faced by China: the need to provide greater regulation and protection for investment, which is key to the future growth of the domestic pharmaceutical sector. Since Singh took over his post in February 2008, the economic landscape has changed considerably, with the industry facing the challenges of a global downturn," it quoted.

Ranga Iyer continues the drive to raise India's domestic and international pharmaceutical standards by bringing forward tough regulations to combat the growing use of substandard and counterfeit products. He is managing director at Wyeth, the article said. It also lauded Anji Reddy for netting some success in drug development.