Unfinished Agenda, An: My Life in the Ph: My Life in the Pharmaceuticals Industry

Very few Indian leaders, in business or otherwise, have taken time out to share their insights with the larger public. One reason could be that they are too secretive about their business and success mantras, perhaps too busy to take time out, or too humble to talk about themselves. The short term effect of not writing or talking about oneself is the rather dearth of role models and talking points, and the long term consequence is uninspired generation that such leaders leave behind. Writing and sharing is one area where the US has always been a leader, and that's why we know and talk more about US firm and business people and leaders than perhaps other of equal or greater might. The memoirs by late Kallam Anji Reddy, the founder of India's leading research driven pharmaceutical company- Dr. Reddy's is an amazing story. The book is inspirational and informative at the same time, and makes one think of the man's vision and willingness to share, quite literally. It's an humbling experience to read the memoir and a sobering reminder of the urgent need to share our hard-earned wisdom with the generations to come.The book is edited by Raghu Cidambi, and narrated by Dr. Reddy. Let me present to you some of the key takeaways from the book. A truly inspiring work.The book starts with narrating the early days of Dr. Anji Reddy, his family environment, schooling, college life at Andhra Christian College Guntur and UDCT Mumbai, PhD at NCL Pune and then moves on to the first job he took at the Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (IDPL) in 1967. It was at UDCT and NCL where Dr. Reddy got into the thick of chemistry and pharmaceuticals, and at IDPL where his entrepreneurial spirit took shape. Along the way, Dr. Reddy names some of the most influential teachers, researchers and managers who shaped his career. One of the most striking thing about the narration is the level of detailing, and humility with which Dr. Reddy acknowledges the people who inspired him, including some from his competing firm, such as Cipla and Ranbaxy.The book ends with describing the social dimensions of Dr. Reddy's efforts while talking about The Foundation and Naandi projects. It is remarkable as to how much the firm and its founder has done over the years, and how apt the title is to the book- An Unfinished Agenda.What influences me the most is the level of detailing the book has, the identification of most important events in company's history and that of the industry, so many great side-stories and anecdotes, and a compelling vision that made one of the finest scientist-entrepreneurs India has ever seen. It's an amazing narration.

Very well written book great to know about the vision for pharma industry .

It was facinating to read the journey, struggle to survive and the vision to setup a research foundation. Over the past 40 years, some of their employees went on to build their own companies is a great example of how leaders are made.

I have had the opportunity to work with Dr Reddy and found myself journeying through my earlier life. Inspirational book for today’s entrepreneur as well as pharmaceutical industry colleagues. Recommended reading.

VERY TECHNICAL AND ONLY PEOPLE FROM PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY WILL LIKE IT!!!

Some dream, some discuss and very few actually do it, this is the story of Dr.Anji Reddy, son turmeric farmer and his journey from a humble town called Tadepalli in Andhra Pradesh to getting his business Dr. Reddy's labs listed on the New York Stock exchange the epicenter of capitalism. A book written by Dr.Reddy himself about his early days as a chemical scientist and how his entrepreneurial journey started.A lot of details about the policy environment during the 60's in India like the MRTP act, price controls specifically related to Pharma products have been described in detail and will give the reader an idea of how difficult it must have been to start an enterprise in India. In spite of all the ups and the downs and multiple failures Dr.Reddy's is one among the few Indian Pharma success stories that has created tremendous wealth for all its stake holders.Very few might know that Dr Reddy's was the first company ( all though it had a different name then) to make bulk drugs at such a large scale in India, while older stalwart Indian pharma companies like Cipla and Ranbaxy were too apprehensive to get into the bulk drugs market , Dr Reddy's takes this huge risk and comes out with quite a few block buster chemicals like Metronidazole, Sulfamethoxazole, Ibuprofen etc etc.The book also gives an overview of the golden period of the 60s and 70s which is often reffered to as the golden era of antibiotics when penicillin, Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxcin became extremely popular in treatment of various medical complications. We also get to understand how competitive the international pharma market is and why there are so many litigations, patent infringments every now and then in the pharma world, the sheer size of business opportunity and stakes make it so competitive. DRLs journey outside India, especially the lucrative markets of western Europe and US are well explained with all details of challenges faced and is a lesson for future generation of Indian companies that might want to enter the US market.DRLs foray into drug discovery and its moderate success in this field, the failed acquisition of German company Betapharm( at that time it was the biggest Pahrma aquisition by ann Indian firm) , DRLs entry into Biotech and DRLs CSR initiatives have all been elaborately detailed out.Lots of anecdotes of Dr. Reddy's work style, why Hyderabad is the pharma capital of India,how he dealt with the MNC competition when he started the business, his relationship with industry peers like legendary Cipla Boss Dr.Yusuf Hamied, Bhai Mohan Singh of Ranbaxy, how they decided to name a molecule of the glizatone family as Balaglizatone in honor of Lord Balaji etc etc make it all the more interesting.Lots of technical stuff that mostly a pharmacologist or a organic chemist can only understand have been written, I personally did not understand most of it but I sure understood one thing that Dr.Reddy was fascinated by chemistry and medicines and never ending ambition to find new methods to produce drugs and thereby reduce cost and make it more affordable to people in the developing world.The dominant theme throughout the book was about good science, affordable medicines and reasonable business sense to deliver profits.A good read to understand the early years of the Indian Pharma Business.

Nice bookOnly drawback:Coming from a non science background some technical terms relating to pharma are difficult to understand.Apart from that it is really good.

Only 3 stars bcoz historical information and some chapters are boring...if u r going to starup then for you ...u'll only get some basic & biografical knowledge.

Anji Reddy was one of the heavyweights of India in the context of big business in India and Telugu sphere, way before his Telugu peers GVK, GMR, Aurobindo, Lanco, Apollo and Amara Raja hit it big - Reddy had already left his Andhra village to study in Mumbai (he arrived in Mumbai before GVK did).It's a story of how a clearly brilliant and ambitious young man from a small city in Andhra Pradesh and a middle class family grew personally and as a stalwart in the Indian pharmaceutical industry way before most people even knew how lucrative of a business pharma is. He knew about the shrewdness of the future multi-billionaire who would unseat Mukesh Ambani briefly as the richest Indian (Dilip Shanghvi). He also talks about his circle of peers who were all clearly very gifted and competent people (Divi Murali went on to found Divi Labs and ended up buying the first Ferrari F12 in India), Yusuf Hamied needs no introducted (another multibillionaire technologist).This book is basically for anyone trying to get an insight into how someone from an extremely normal background can rise to achieve their zenith with many hurdles. It was no easy ride for Reddy, who had to deal with many conflicts with partners on issues as petty as even caste (apparently one of his managers was hiring "his people" too much.All in all, a great book about a pharma geek in a third world country who was able to hit it big, a must read to understand how to get from 0 base to the billion dollar club by surmounting all the challenges in between.Reddy's lieutenants, his son and son-in-law have no established Dr.Reddy's as a proper firm with professional management and will surely hit the $20 billion market cap valuation sooner or later. A remarkable journey for the son of farmers of Guntur to the Forbes List of Billionaires .

Good read , also get to know how pharma industry developed in India

Must to read book for any start up entrepreneur. Simplicity, hard work and honesty always pay. Salutation to Dr,Anji Reddy.

One of the best book in my life