Dr R N Gupta has been elected as the National President of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) for the term 2024-2026. The IPA is the oldest and largest association of pharmaceutical professionals in India. Dr Gupta’s term will run from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2026.
With nearly five decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, and research, Dr Gupta currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at NIPER, Kolkata. His professional background includes roles at Smith Stanistreet Pharmaceuticals, Kolkata, Bihar State Pharma and Chemical Development Corporation, Patna, Eastern Chemical Industries, Cuttack, and Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi. Dr Gupta has published over 100 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and authored two books on ‘Pharmaceutical Marketing Management’ and ‘GPP in Hospital Pharmacy’. He has guided eight doctorate students.
Dr Gupta has been an active advocate for the profession, raising numerous issues through over 350 ‘Letters to the Editor’ and successfully resolving many of these in favour of the profession. His first paper, “A Spotlight on GMP”, published in August 1980, was later incorporated into Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules in 1988. He has been a member of various expert committees of IPC, PCI, DGHS, and other government bodies, and a reviewer of the National Formulary of India.
Dr Gupta’s achievements have been recognised with several awards, including the Eminent Pharmacist Award, Best Pharmaceutical Scientist Award, Schroff Memorial Award, P C Ray Gold Medal, S Laskar Pharma Excellence Award, M L Khorana Best Paper Award, IPA President Oration Award, Best Professional Award, Pharma Achievement Award, and the Jharkhand Gaurav Award.
The other IPA office bearers elected for the 2024-2026 term are Dr Subhash Mandal as National Honorary General Secretary and Dr Alka Mukne as Honorary Treasurer. The vice presidents include Raj Vaidya as Chairperson of the Community Pharmacy Division, Dr G Sumalatha as Chairperson of the Education Division, Dr Ramesh Adepu as Chairperson of the Hospital Pharmacy Division, M Vasudev Rao as Chairperson of the Industrial Pharmacy Division, and Dr A Ramkishan as Chairperson of the Regulatory Affairs Division.
Dr Anuradha Majumdar has been elected as the Editor of Pharma Times, and Dr S Vidyadhara as the Editor of the Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (IJPS).