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Press Release On the possibilities for Biotech "An anticancer drug called ‘Taxol’ produced by a German company actually has its origin in India. It is produced from a tree that grows in the Himalayan region. India has a lot of resources, we have to grab the opportunity before we lose it. We need laws and regulations that help primary phase research. The Government of India has taken heed of our requests and in the next year you will see a number of regulatory changes that will give a boost to this industry." "India’s healthcare challenge can bankrupt the Indian economy. We have to provide affordable healthcare to a billion people. Biotech can play a huge role in this." "The Hep B Vacine has been made available for 30 cents in India while in the USA it costs $4.50. This has been made possible by the research done by an academic institution such as the CCMD and Shantha Biotech’s efforts in commercialising this drug. This is the kind of partnership that is necessary today. India’s affordability derives from low cost R&D and manufacturing. What we can achieve here for 5 million USD is much more than what can be achieved in the USA for the same amount. We must take full advantage of this. This is a very powerful global competitive factor for India." On the personal experience of entrepreneurship "I started in 1978 with a very simple idea, very small. In fact in retrospect it feels like a silly idea. But it does not matter what your idea is so long as you believe in it and have faith that it will work out. You have to find your own path." "I had difficulty in finding the finance for my idea. It was a new field, I had no background in it, I doid not come from a business family. If you have faith in your idea , you will keep knocking on all doors. Every time I thought I had hit a rick wall, a door would open, a window would open. That has happened to me every time. I finally got the finance for my project thanks to Mr. Vaghul of ICICI. You have to find someone who will understand what you are trying to do." It was a riveting talk, inspiring and touching. With her pleasant, calm, and assured demeanour, Ms. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw captivated the students and left them longing for an encore. Contributed by - |
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