Despite the numerous challenges being faced by the pharma industry, there are opportunities galore for the industry. In order to tap the upcoming opportunities, the industry has to continuously improve technology, productivity and spend more time in building competency of the people, said Dr Kamal Sharma, managing director of Lupin.

Speaking as the Chief Guest at the 15th Pharmaceutical Analysts’ Convention of IDMA-APA held recently in Mumbai, he said the most important factor for coping up with the challenges is the quality and commitment among people. For that self motivation is a crucial factor, he pointed out.

During the two - day convention ,approximately 200 participants including delegates attended the function and 17 Exhibitors all from different parts of the country exhibited.  Invitees from the US FDA, IPC Officials, Past Presidents and Executive Committee Members of IDMA were also present. The main theme of this year’s Convention was “Conformance to emerging global quality standards”.

The convention was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by the Chief Guest Dr Kamal Sharma,  accompanied by the Guest of Honour Dr Nitya Anand, First Chairman – S.B. IPC, co-chairman, IPC and ex-director, CDRI.

The  keynote address  by Chief Guest was followed by welcome address  by the President and addresses by the Guest of Honour Dr Nitya Anand and other eminent invitees.

During the PAC, “Young Pharmaceutical Analyst Award 2012” was presented to Dr Wahajuddin, a scientist at Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism Division, CSIR, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow.   “The Outstanding Pharmaceutical Analyst Award 2012”  was presented to  S. Somasundaram, working as Head, Quality Management, for MSN Group, API Division, Hyderabad.

The technical session was followed by the presentations made by 17 eminent faculty/speakers including Dr G N Singh, DCGI, Dr Rakesh Kumar Shah, Addl Director and Head, CBRN Defence, INMAS etc.

An important feature of this year’s convention was the visit organized on the first day afternoon to Piramal Healthcare & Life Sciences Research Centre, Goregaon. The delegates and speakers were welcomed by Dr H Sivaramakrishnan, president, Research & Development, Piramal Healthcare & Life Sciences.

The exhibitors interacted with speakers, invitees and delegates at the special interaction session organized on the first day of the convention.

In his concluding remarks the Secretary-General of IDMA, Daara Patel appreciated the presentations made by all the eminent speakers.  He thanked all the  speakers, sponsors, IDMA Secretariat, members of Regulatory, Technical & Quality Management Sub-committees, members of press and the participants and also the Hyatt Regency Hotel Management and their team.