Mrudgandha Dixit

When India gained independence, the life expectancy of an average Indian citizen was 27-28 years. Therefore, it was imperative to focus heavily on the country's healthcare system. India's economic condition was also dire. The need of the hour was to build a welfare healthcare system that the poor could afford.

Even back then, pharmaceutical companies faced accusations of profiteering. Under such circumstances, it was crucial for domestic companies to emerge and for India to become self-reliant in drug manufacturing.

One golden page in this history belongs to 'Cipla'. However, when an organisation crosses the 80-year mark, it faces the massive challenge of aligning its traditional values with the rapid technological advancements of the new world. This challenge was faced by Samina Hamied, the third generation of the Hamied family.

Samina Hamied

Samina has played a key role in transforming a company that once had a market capitalisation of Rs. 227 billion into a giant that recently crossed the Rs. 1 lakh crore mark. She achieved this by striking a perfect balance between 'corporate discipline' and a 'humanitarian approach' to drive the organisation's growth.

To an outsider, Samina’s journey may seem easy since she was born with a 'silver spoon'. However, she had to face huge challenges in revitalising a stagnant business. She implemented novel concepts within Cipla, giving the traditional business a modern touch. Her grandfather and the founder of Cipla, Khwaja Abdul Hamied, established this company in the pre-independence era, inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.

Later, her father, M.K. Hamied, and her uncle, Dr Y.K. Hamied, expanded the company not just in India but across the globe. Breaking the monopolies of Western pharmaceutical giants, they made HIV/AIDS medication available at extremely affordable prices to numerous developing countries, including Africa.

Samina Hamied celebrating Onam at Cipla headquarters

Samina spent her childhood in Mumbai. For higher education, she travelled to London. After completing her master's degree in 'International Accounting and Finance' from the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE), it was widely assumed that she would join Cipla. Defying expectations, she started her career at 'Goldman Sachs'.

Samina joined Cipla in 2011. At that time, she faced two major challenges. The first was to win the trust of the company's veteran and experienced team. The second was to transition Cipla from its image of a 'traditional Indian pharmaceutical company' into a 'multinational giant'.

Samina Hamied

She took charge of 'Strategic Projects'.

Discipline, firmness, and foresight are the hallmarks of her style. She brought world-class experts and professionals into the company and implemented rigorous systems. The discipline seen in Cipla today is the fruit of the hard work Samina has put in over the last decade.

A prime example of Samina's foresight was through the establishment of 'Cipla Health Ltd.' in 2015-16. She underscored the importance of connecting with the consumers, rather than relying solely on doctors' prescriptions.

Her vision, articulated while outlining the strategy for this new venture, became widely popular. She had said, "To succeed in consumer healthcare, we desperately need a 'Pharma In / FMCG Out' mindset. This means that while manufacturing the product, it must possess the scientific accuracy and reliability of a 'Pharma' company, but while selling it in the market, it must be aggressively pushed directly to the consumers like soaps and shampoos."

Samina Hamied receiving an award from Nirmala Sitharaman

As a direct result of this, brands like 'Nicotex' (smoking cessation products), 'Cofsils' (cough lozenges and syrup), 'Omnigel' (pain relief ointment/spray), and 'Maxirich' (multivitamin supplements) have made their way into every Indian household today. By successfully launching Cipla into the OTC (Over the Counter) products segment, Samina brought the 'Cipla' brand directly into the common man's first-aid box.

Under Samina, Cipla shone brightly on the global map. Exports increased, and Cipla acquired companies abroad. The acquisition of companies like 'InvaGen Pharmaceuticals' and 'Exelan' in the United States in 2015-16 is considered one of the boldest moves in Cipla's history.

This decision facilitated Cipla's entry into the highly regulated American market. Today, whether it is South Africa or the USA, the Cipla brand is recognised as a trusted name.

Samina Vazirali (Hamied) with her uncle YK Hamied and father NM Hamied (Extreme right)

Through the 'Cipla Foundation ', Samina has implemented several initiatives in health, education, and skill development.

Cipla's motto is - 'Caring for Life'. To ensure this doesn't remain just a slogan, Samina placed special emphasis on Research and Development (R&D). According to her, "Research is the heart of the pharmaceutical industry." She dreamt of taking Cipla to the global top spot in the field of respiratory care, and she turned that dream into reality.

Today, Cipla's inhalers are helping millions of patients worldwide breathe easier. Specifically, Samina effectively pushed forward Cipla's policy of making medicines for serious diseases like Cancer and HIV available to the common man at affordable prices.

"Medicine is not a tool to earn profit; it is the right of a patient," is her firm belief.

During the global pandemic, when the whole world came to a standstill, Samina Hamied and her team worked day and night. They faced the massive challenge of ensuring the timely availability of crucial drugs like 'Remdesivir'.

Samina Hamied in her office

She personally monitored the supply chain and logistics. Putting profits aside, she prioritised delivering medicines to the maximum number of patients.

Samina Hamied articulated Cipla's stance in very clear terms. She said, "In this time of global pandemic, our motto has truly lived up to its meaning. We are fully committed to ensuring the uninterrupted availability of life-saving drugs to every needy patient in the fight against COVID-19."

Samina's achievements have been honoured on multiple occasions. Renowned publications like 'Fortune India' and 'Business Today' have frequently listed her as one of the 'Most Powerful Women in Business in India'. Her name has also featured on 'Forbes' list of Asia's most influential women.

However, more important than these awards is the policy-level work she has been doing for the entire Indian pharmaceutical industry through the 'Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance' (IPA). Her election as the Vice President of the IPA for the 2021-2023 term is considered a highly significant milestone in her journey.

Through the 'Cipla Foundation ', Samina has implemented several initiatives in health, education, and skill development.

Samina Hamied in her office

The 'Cipla Palliative Care and Training Centre '  has provided free and dignified treatment to terminally ill cancer patients.

She has also been the main driving force behind building a network of Mobile Healthcare Units in rural areas. "Our success cannot be measured in a balance sheet. It will have to be measured by the number of lives we have saved," she once stated.

Speaking about her social outlook, Samina Hamied says, "Healthcare is not a business. It is a fundamental human right. Our responsibility is not limited to just manufacturing drugs. We want to build a system where even the poorest of poor patients can get dignified and affordable treatment."

Today, Cipla is stepping into digital healthcare and precision medicine, with Samina at the helm of this transition. Digital healthcare means making healthcare smarter with the help of technology and mobile apps. This includes consulting doctors on video calls from home, and using wearables like smartwatches or fitness bands.

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These tools allow for the continuous monitoring of heart rates, ECGs, or blood oxygen levels. It also includes maintaining 'Electronic Health Records'—meaning securely storing all information about a patient's illness and treatment on the cloud instead of on paper. Meanwhile, Precision Medicine involves moving away from the "one drug fits all" approach to delivering the right drug to the right patient, at the right time.