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The Indian pharmaceutical industry’s annual conclave next week will miss a significant voice following the passing of DG Shah on Friday.
With his familiar white hair and pleasant demeanour, the 77-year-old Shah was easily among the most recognisable faces of the domestic pharmaceutical industry. His sudden passing has left industry colleagues and others who interacted closely with him, in a state of disbelief.
As a spokesperson of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) — a platform for large domestic drug companies — Shah combined his approachability with in-depth insights on the intricacies and intrigue synonymous with an industry globally perceived as being critical and controversial.
From local tax or issues related to the Government price-control scheme to a more more global approach on issues of intellectual property and trade policies, Shah was virtually a one-stop shop, speaking with equal ease and dignity to seasoned policy makers, competitive international trade officials and advocacy group representatives.
“He truly presented the aims and objectives of the leading indigenous pharmaceutical companies. It will be very difficult to find a replacement for him,” said Cipla doyen Dr YK Hamied, who along with industry stalwarts including the late Parvinder Singh of the erstwhile Ranbaxy and the late Anji Reddy of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, started IPA.
‘DG’, as he was popularly known, has been with the IPA since its founding in 2000, after his tenure with Pfizer. He helped put the Indian pharmaceutical industry get back on the international stage, despite the flak it received from different quarters, say industry colleagues with respect.
‘Critical and sophisticated voice’
A little over a week ago, Shah had told BusinessLine of the pitch made by Indian pharma in the run-up to the United States’ Special 301 report that evaluates US trading partners on their track-record in dealing with intellectual property rights.“We have asked to be taken off the Priority Watch List,” he had said, outlining a well reasoned submission.
“The domestic industry has lost one of its most critical and sophisticated voices internationally, who could take up macro issues on trade and IPR,” said IP expert KM Gopakumar.
Despite disagreements on the workings of the domestic pharmaceutical industry, Gopakumar said that DG’s loss comes at a time when the Indian pharmaceutical industry is evolving in its role of making less expensive generic medicines for the world, even as it keeps pace with international changes.
Ranjit Shahani, former spokesperson with the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (a platform for multinational companies) often found himself on the other side of the pharmaceutical divide with DG.
“I’ve known Dilip bhai for over 25 years right from his Pfizer days. One could not have come across a more passionate and committed person for the cause he espoused and firmly beloved in and his advocacy for IPA and the generics industry,” Shahani said from the United Kingdom.
“Even though we were very often on the other side of the pond on some issues regarding the pharma industry, we always had constructive dialogue. Personally we were friends and at the end of the day had a camaraderie which went beyond our pharma industry positions. DG will be missed by all our friends in the industry, a man who would never say die for the cause is sadly no longer with us.” said Shahani, former India head of Novartis.
‘Invaluable’
A voice for domestic medical device makers, Rajiv Nath said that he lost a mentor with DG’s passing. “An inspiring rock and a gentleman. On many issues and initiatives I would take he had a difference of opinion but explained it gently,” says Nath, who is a co-ordinator with the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry.
Speaking for many an industry colleague, IPA’s present President Glenn Saldanha said that DG Shah’s contributions towards advocacy, strategic planning, advisory and knowledge-sharing were “invaluable”. The Indian pharmaceutical industry emerged a global leader during DG’s tenure, he added.
Clearly, the next spokesperson of IPA has large shoes to fill.
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