Leben Laboratories Pvt Ltd, a pharmaceutical company based at Akola (Maharashtra) has won the prestigious National Award 2008 (that includes trophy, merit certificate and cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh) in the category of Outstanding Entrepreneurship, instituted by Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Govt of India.

The award was presented at a function by Dr Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India, in presence of Dinsha Patel, minister of state for MSME (Independent Charge) and Kumudben Joshi, chairperson, Khadi and Village Industries Commission recently at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The award was received by Bharat Shah, CEO and Haresh Shah, commercial director.

Ministry of MSME with a view to recognize the efforts and contribution of MSME's give away National Award annually to selected entrepreneur and enterprises under the scheme of National Awards. The awards are given for the category of R&D efforts, Entrepreneurship and Quality products as first, second and third prize.

Selection for the award is made on the basis of set criteria exclusively designed to evaluate outstanding efforts of the MSME's. The applications are invited through advertisement, which are scrutinized at the state level by a committee under the chairmanship of Secretary, Industry. The short list then scrutinized by technical divisions of DC (MSME) and the national level selection committee (NLSC), under the chairmanship of additional secretary (AS) and development commissioner (DC) makes the final selection.

Leben is awarded on the basis of considerable progress in terms of use and choice of technology, entrepreneurial efforts to produce number of items which hitherto were imported, new variants having additional attributes over the original version, capable of solving a multitude of user problem, export, innovation / diversification, in-house testing facility, pollution and control measures, encouraging quality circle activities, welfare measures, etc. The company has adopted GMP laid by WHO in respect of manufacturing and testing of pharmaceutical formulation and has ISO 9001 -2000 Certification.

During last 20 years, Leben is recognized by various national and international dignitaries, institutions and organizations in the form of 17 awards and is the only such kind of company in Maharashtra & this award is at the top of it. Leben is quality driven innovative pharmaceutical company catering to the domestic market in the 17 states of India and exporting to 9 Afro- Asian countries.