Swadeshi Visionary

The 'Made in India' success story of HiMedia Labs, one of the top three global media manufacturers and its contributions to scientific progress, under the aegis of its able leader, Dr Gangaram Warke

- Lakshmipriya Nair

Since Independence,ideas conceived and executed by countless Indians, sung and unsung heroes of this country, have proven these words true. Their invaluable contributions have led to India’s emergence as one of the fastest growing economies in the world today.

And, in our Independence Day Special issue, Express Pharma brings you one such story. The journey traced by Dr Gangaram Warke, an Indian microbiologist turned entrepreneur, to ensure that his country’s scientific progress is not hampered.

Today, HiMedia Laboratories, the company that he began over four decades ago, is one of the leading biosciences companies in the world with a presence in more than 140 countries.

Thus, it is a riveting tale of struggle, strife, toil and subsequent triumph.

Nurturing a vision

HiMedia Laboratories was born in 1976 with a vision to alleviate the huge struggle faced by Indian researchers to obtain cost-effective microbiology media and allied products on time.

The years spent on his doctoral research as well as working in the R&D and quality control departments of pharma companies had led Dr Warke to realise that India was largely dependent on the US and Europe for these products and had to procure them at exorbitant prices. This, in turn, was a drain on the funds for research and an impediment to progress.

Dr Warke’s solution to this conundrum was to establish his own company and manufacture culture media in India itself to make it self-reliant. But, it was an audacious dream at a time when the market was dominated by a 400-year-old German corporation, a 120year-old US giant and a 90year-old British conglomerate.

Yet, buoyed by the unstinting support of his brother Vishnu Warke and wife Saroj Warke, Dr Warke started HiMedia and commenced with the production of a portfolio of some key readyto-use culture media for scientists, researchers and small companies.