The 13th edition of Bangalore India Bio (BIB) was inaugurated by Jagadish Shettar, Chief Minister, Karnataka. The event, organised by the Department of Information Technology, Bio-Technology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka and the Vision Group on Biotechnology, is being held at The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore.
Key dignitaries at the inauguration included, Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson, Karnataka Vision Group on Biotechnology; Chairman and Managing Director, Biocon; Prof K Vijay Raghavan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, SV Ranganath, IAS, Chief Secretary of Karnataka, David Flores, Co-Founder, President and CEO, BioCentury, US; Anne MacColl, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Development International, Scotland; Mark Lytle – Division Director, Georgia Centers of Innovation; Georgia Department of Economic Development, Atlanta, Georgia, US and ISN Prasad, IAS, Principal Secretary, Dept of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka.
Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, released the ABLE report ‘Opportunities for Fermentation Industry & Biotechnology.’ Shaw spoke on the biotech industry perspective. She began by congratulating Ragavan on his recent achievements and emphasised the importance of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.
Further she said, “Around $7.5 billion has been invested in biotech industry in a very large scale. Biotechnology has flourished well in health care sector. India is one of the largest country in vaccine production these days and bio similar these are very expensive drugs presently but this will be resolved in the future. Indian industries has also been found to be the part of other industries as well like in Bio Energy and Bio Fuel and on fossils fuels.”
Flores, said, “More new drugs have been identified by bio-tech companies than drug companies and looking at the progress which has been made it is not yet clear whether biotech is a major player in the health care sector and concluded saying India’s biotech sector can develop with joint ventures and global collaborations.”
MacColl, exchanging the MoU between Scottish Development International, Scotland and KBITS said, “The Scottish engagement in life sciences with the Bangalore India Bio will create a sustainable partnership between India and Scotland. Collaborations between Scotland and India will be a major boost to the biotech industries. There are many similarities between the life sciences industries in India and Scotland. Exchanging MOU between Scottish and Karnataka will soon built up life specific scientific significance. It will share world class accommodation, seeking significant influence. In-fact we need to build up lifetime partnership between Karnataka and Scotland for human welfare, Since from past five years 850 million pounds invested in the research institute for the uprooted innovation to meet the society demands.”
Exchanging their MoU between Georgia Department of Economic Development, Atlanta, Georgia, USA and KBITS, Lytle, said, “We are pleased to sign a collaboration with the State of Karnataka. Economic development works on the sales and marketing in export, tourism, industrial, IT, music, film, Georgia centres of innovation is an effort that seeks to accelerate the growth of six of the state’s strategic industries: aerospace, agribusiness, life science, logistics, energy, manufacturing. It will provide strategic oversight and general management of the centres of innovations.”
Ranganath said, “This event shows the biotech power of Bangalore and India. BT is open to all walks of life and gives the necessary tool to face the present day challenges such as health, food shortage, diseases etc. Biotechnology has given great opportunity to a country like India with 1.2 billion populations which have good potential to tap the benefits of pharmaceuticals and agro biotech. India is particularly concerned with agro and diseases control at affordable price with quality to rural part. India with a huge population and minimal resource is greatly working on affordable innovations in the field of agro, pharma; health.”
He also stated that R&D cost is very much less in India compared to other countries. “India has high manpower and talent in the field of life science, engineering science and R&D. And there by the MNC’s are looking at India for collaboration for the above reasons. Bangalore has many number of R&D in public and private sector. Bangalore is the hub for R&D and constitutes to about 56% of the Indian R&D. State Govt has taken initiatives to provide 4000 acres of land for the development of Biotech and other sciences. Indian Institute of nano science has also allotted 14 acres for the same purpose. State Govt is greatly thankful to the entire visionaries who have raised Bangalore to International standards.”
The ABLE Report “Indian Biotechnology: The roadmap to the Next Decade and beyond and “Funding Your Science Idea” of Atharva Life Sciences Consulting, was released by Raghavan.
EP News Bureau – Mumbai
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