MAM
‘Made in India’ traces Lupin founder’s rise and India’s pharma boom
Authors trace Lupin’s rise alongside India’s march to global pharma power
MUMBAI: A new book chronicling the rise of Indian pharmaceuticals through the life of Lupin founder Desh Bandhu Gupta, was launched in Mumbai on Sunday, bringing together leading figures from the industry to reflect on how India became the world’s pharmacy.
Made in India, written by journalist Sundeep Khanna and TeamLease Services co-founder Manish Sabharwal, traces three intertwined journeys: the evolution of India’s pharmaceutical industry, the growth of Lupin into a global generics major, and Gupta’s transformation from a small-town academic into one of India’s most influential entrepreneurs.
The book recounts how Gupta, raised without privilege in rural Rajasthan, moved from teaching and pharmaceutical jobs to founding a company now valued at around $10 billion, with medicines reaching patients in more than 120 countries. It details how Lupin navigated regulatory hurdles, financial crises and global quality standards to emerge as a multinational player.
Written with candour, the authors confront setbacks and personal costs alongside success, portraying institution-building as a slow and often painful process rather than a heroic sprint. The narrative also highlights the pivotal role played by Gupta’s wife, Manju Gupta, in building Lupin and its parallel commitment to community welfare and rural development.
The launch featured a panel discussion on the past and future of Indian pharma, with industry leaders including Dilip Shanghvi of Sun Pharma, Yusuf Hamied of Cipla, G.V. Prasad of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Vinita Gupta of Lupin and academic M. M. Sharma.
Speakers underlined how Indian companies dismantled the notion that multinational drugmakers held an unassailable advantage, helping the country emerge as a dominant supplier of affordable medicines. India today produces nearly half of the 400 billion pills consumed annually in the US and accounts for about 60 per cent of global vaccine supply, with a third of US FDA-approved drug manufacturing plants located in the country.
Praise for the book highlighted Gupta’s role as one of the architects of India’s pharmaceutical rise, alongside figures such as Anji Reddy, Parvinder Singh, Ramanbhai Patel and Habil Khorakiwala. Together, the founders are credited with marrying entrepreneurial ambition to public health priorities, reshaping India’s manufacturing reputation and extending its global influence.
MAM
Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia deepens philanthropic push in India ahead of retirement
Entrepreneur backs gurdwara project and education for slum children as he expands charitable footprint in the country
LONDON: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia is ramping up his philanthropic footprint in India. On a recent visit to the country, the UK-based entrepreneur stepped up support for religious and educational causes, signalling a deeper long-term commitment as he prepares to spend more time in India ahead of retirement.
Ahluwalia reaffirmed support for key social initiatives, including a donation to Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib in Gurugram and continued backing for a school in Faridabad for which he had earlier purchased the land.
The donation will fund the construction of the gurdwara, expected to be completed by mid-2028. Run largely by volunteers, the site will serve as a community hub and continue the Sikh tradition of langar — a community kitchen that provides free meals to all, regardless of faith.
Parallelly, the Faridabad school continues to deliver free, multi-year education to children living in extreme poverty in surrounding slums. The institution is part of the 12 educational facilities run by the Jagriti Sewa Trust, where Ahluwalia serves as chairman. The trust provides underprivileged students with free education as well as skill-development opportunities.
The latest support adds to Ahluwalia’s long record of charitable giving in India. In recent years, it included a £100,000 donation to the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation’s Justice for Every Child campaign, which provides legal and psychological support to vulnerable children and their families.
Through the Ahluwalia Foundation, the businessman regularly backs charities and non-profits in both India and the United Kingdom. The foundation focuses on projects linked to education, migration and the rights of children and women.
Ahluwalia’s philanthropic drive is rooted in personal history. Having fled to the UK as a refugee at the age of 13, he has long supported migrant-focused organisations, including the London-based Migration Museum, while also funding educational initiatives in India such as free schooling programmes in Hyderabad.
Now, as he gradually shifts more of his time to India, Ahluwalia’s charitable ambitions are expanding. Future plans include launching a classic car rally across the country to raise funds for causes he supports.
“Education and faith are very close to my heart,” Ahluwalia said. “For so many Indians, whether they live in India or abroad, a gurdwara or any place of worship is more than somewhere to practise faith. They are places of community and identity.”
Reflecting on the Faridabad visit, Ahluwalia added: “It was very special seeing the work of the Jagriti Sewa Trust firsthand. Knowing that disadvantaged children are receiving a free education — and that I had a small part to play in that — is deeply meaningful. Social status and economic background should not determine a person’s chances of success.”
