Drug Control Administration (AP) director M Venkata Reddy has been awarded the best drug control officer award for 2003 by the All India Drugs Control Officers’ Confederation (AIDCOC) recently. This is the first time that an officer from Andhra Pradesh has bagged the award. Last year, DCA director, Gujarat had won this award.

Venkata Reddy said that he has been chosen for this award by the awards committee after scrutinizing various candidates, in relation with various aspects such as his contribution and initiatives as director of DCA and as drugs inspector in the past, contribution to AIDCOC, qualifications, publications, and papers presented so far etc.

Reddy joined the DCA in 1975. He completed his M Pharm in 1967 with a gold medal. Before joining the DCA, he served as a lecturer in Andhra University for over eight years. His inclination towards social welfare led him to join the DCA. Venkata Reddy is to retire from his post in April 2004.