‘‘I don’’t see any fierceness in the competition’’

You have been associated with Venus for the last 22 years and you have spearheaded the company to achieve many milestones. Tell us about your learning experiences and how did you overcome the challenges that came up before you in the course of your career?

It was indeed a great learning experience. I could witness the pharmaceutical industry passing through radical changes with respect to understanding of quality norms as per international standards, the shift from process to product patent and ultimately evolution of India as a solution provider in medicine research. Not even a single milestone can be achieved without focus, passion, hard word and team work. For instance, we received GLP (Good Laboratory Practices) accreditation after stringent audits which lasted up to three years because we were determined to be pioneers in research. We keep on raising our bar of excellence and make it a point to constantly improve.

You have devoted more than 10 years to drug development and research in the area of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), how challenging or rewarding was it for you?

I could foresee the need for AMR solutions and fortunate enough to get an opportunity to work on these solutions passionately. We were committed to finding fairly quick solutions to drug-resistant bacteria and a timely launch of these research projects gave us an edge over others. Today, AMR has become a global concern, which claims thousands of lives annually. We have hit the right chord at the right time. In Venus, our vision is to constantly develop perpetual innovations. Working on AMR is part of this vision. We have taken it forward by turning it into a mission to eradicate AMR. It has been a bumpy ride but nothing is more satisfying than saving precious lives through the novel antibiotic adjuvant entities developed by us when all other medicines fail to respond in ICU. Focused research can make a difference to the lives of millions of people. Infections caused by resistant micro-organisms often fail to respond to the standard treatment, resulting in prolonged illness and greater risk of death. Today, we are at least in a position to provide solutions to major superbugs like MRSA and NDM-1.

Venus has become a pioneer in the field of AMR and has surpassed its bigger competitors in developing novel antibiotic adjuvant entities to counter the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. We have filed more than 340 patents in 60 countries, of which we have received 102. Our success speaks of itself. We have been conferred many awards, including a gold medal for Elores under the DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation Growth Programme.

Your impressive contributions in the field of operations have helped the company to implement cost-effective and efficient manufacturing processes, your expertise has guided the company to meet GMP and International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. Moving forward what new strategies do you plan to implement?

Constant upgradation of intellectual property and infrastructure is the need of the hour. We are driven by the mission of turning ‘Made in Venus’ into a benchmark of quality in the pharma industry, I feel training, system development and implementation and regular audits, followed by risk management, are required to be on the top. We have developed a basket of 75 super-speciality products, which are at par with international standards. This includes our 15 innovative products. We have secured 22 GMP accreditations from across the world for our manufacturing facilities with perseverance and dedication. The entire Venus team is doing everything it can to maintain the company’s edge and launch our research products all over the globe. We are determined to provide consistent and uniform quality in all markets irrespective of the paying capacity of those markets. We are just a 23-year-old company, but we are present in 60 countries. With the passage of time, we will have a presence in more and more countries.

There are very few women who are at your level in this industry? How fierce is the competition for a woman in this sphere? What is your message to fellow women professionals?

The number of women holding senior positions is going up, but not at a very encouraging pace. However, I don’t see any fierceness in the competition. If a woman is competent and determined, nothing can come in her way. I would like the leadership space to be gender-free. Let merit have a say. Message to fellow women professionals: Believe in yourself and your capabilities. If you do that, nothing is impossible. Each one of us has her own strengths. We should discover them and expand our horizons. Accept challenges with passion and the doors of success will open automatically.

What policy reforms/amendments have you created in your organisation to inculcate a women friendly culture ?

Venus Remedies is the only company from the North India to have made it to the list of Top 100 in the ‘India’s Best Companies to Work for’ study conducted by the Great Place to Work Institute, India. It was placed at the 72nd position. We have inculcated a healthy work culture and provide a learning atmosphere to every employee, where they can enjoy their work and perform without any stress. Our women employees enjoy equal opportunities when it comes to increments or promotions. Ensuring the welfare of our employees is of utmost concern to us. There is no gender bias at Venus Remedies. We work as a team where the best employees have every opportunity to grow and move ahead of others. Venus has formulated various women-friendly policies. The company provides monetary benefits to women employees on various occasions.

u.sharma@expressindia.com