The second convocation of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) was held on September 29, 2003 at the institute’s campus in S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), Punjab. His Excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, The President of India, who is also the visitor of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), was the Chief Guest for the function and delivered the convocation address.

A total of 104 degrees (24-Ph.D & 80-Masters) were awarded during the Convocation. The President presented the Gold Medals to Malde Alpesh Kumar Keshavji and Aditya Mohal Kaushal for securing joint first position in Masters Programme of 2001 session and to Jaspreet Kaur Vasir for the Masters Programme of 2002.

Dr. C.L. Kaul, Director, NIPER delivered the welcome address and presented a brief report on the academic and research & development activities at the institute. NIPER was accorded the status of ‘institute of national importance’, by the Government of India, through the NIPER Act 1998, of the parliament. He emphasized that during the short span of its existence, the Institute has been able to emerge as a center of excellence in pharmaceutical education and research.

In the absence of Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Chairman of the Board of Governors, who was out of the country, Dr. Nityanand welcomed the President and appreciated the presence of his Excellency as this would inspire the students to fulfill their social responsibilities as pharmaceutical educators and scientists. In the forthcoming period, NIPER will play a much bigger role as the new WTO requirement have to be met in the post 2005 scenario. NIPER is well equipped to train teachers and professionals for the future.

The President in his Convention address – ‘Challenges to pharmaceutical industries’, congratulated the Director, Faculty and Staff to shaping the young minds into Pharmaceutical specialists and leaders.

On his vision for Medicare the President said that we should see how the advancement in technology could be used to control three major diseases viz tuberculosis, HIV and waterborne diseases and to make cost effective medical technology, devices accessible to all the citizens of our country. This is possible only if a multi organizational missions leading to goal-oriented projects are spotted and nurtured by Government and Industry alike. NIPER therefore has to have partnership with R&D labs and industries for developing such indigenous medical care equipment, devices and consumables.

Medical research will help to identify not only the genes that cause disease but also correct the defect through gene therapy. He emphasized the need to develop new molecules in the country, as we are already equipped with skilled manpower and we need to organize ourselves to attain global standards and develop a product that is internationally approved.

Presently when the western world is looking forward to cut cost of production without compromising on quality, India with all its thrust in cutting edge expertise like biotechnology and manufacturing can help in speeding up such developments. Developments in biotechnology and molecular biology have now made it possible not only to design drugs for specific properties but also to deliver to specific sites where they are most required. We shall not lose time due to regulatory formalities. Government agencies therefore should work together especially in the area of drug discovery to production. Our specific aim is to focus on anti cancer, anti-diabetic, immuno-modulator compounds.

Focusing on the present scenario of Intellectual Property Rights he envisaged. NIPER here should become the repository of IPR related activities not only to ensure that we protect IPRs of modern times, but also to ensure that our repository of traditional medicinal knowledge is properly documented to prevent IPR piracy.

In concluding his address he said competitiveness spring form the technological strength particularly the institution like NIPER has to understand challenges in drug design and marketing. The success will come from the creative leadership. In present environment we need leaders whose leadership style which move from commander to coach, manager to mentor, from director to delegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitates self-respect.

Thereafter, The President of India interacted with the Faculty and Students in their laboratories in Computer Applications, Pharmaco-informatics. He also visited Central Instrumentation Laboratory and Computer Aided Drug Design drew his attention in the Molecular Modeling Laboratory.

He inaugurated the Technology Development Center, which enunciated a vision “To provide Intellectual capital to make available safe, cost effective, contemporary, quality therapeutics to the people of India”. It has been designed to prepare bulk actives of synthetic or herbal origin under internationally approved conditions. This facility will be greatly useful to the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry for developing pilot level technologies of patent non-infringing processes for drugs going off patent in years to come and prepare clinical batches of New Chemical Entities.