Written and reviewed by Dr. Saint Paul | Pharm.D Graduate from JNTUK | Pharmacy Educator and D.Pharmacy Academic Content Creator
HISTORY OF PHARMACY PROFESSION IN INDIA
Pharmacy refers to the health care profession that deals with both health science and chemistry. It is defined as the profession of the art, science and economics of discovery and preparation from natural and synthetic sources, drugs and non-drug materials needed for prevention, management and treatment of diseases in man and animals. The word pharmacy was coined from the Greek word pharmakon meaning medicine or drug.
PHARMACY EDUCATION IN INDIA – PRE-INDEPENDENCE ERA
- 1824: London Pharmacopoeia became available in India (Indian version)
- 1835 & 1936: Chennai Medical College and Calcutta Medical College started
- 1840: Goa Medical College started at Panjim, Goa
- 1841: Bengal Dispensary and Pharmacopoeia-Volume 1 published (WBO Shaugh Neesy)
- 1843: Devnagri transcription of London Pharmacopoeia in Hindi and Bengali
- 1864: Bengal Pharmacopoeia and General Conspectus of Medicinal Plants published
- 1868: First Pharmacopoeia of India published under British Monarchy
- 1869: “Vernacular Names of Indian Medicinal Plants and Herbs” compiled by Moder Sheriff (Chennai College and Hospital)
- 1874: Regular two years course for “Chemists and Druggists Diploma” started at Madras Medical College
- 1932: Pharmaceutical chemistry included as subject at Banaras Hindu University (Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya)
- 1935: First pharmaceutical society – BHU Pharmaceutical Society (nucleus for UPPA)
- 1936: UPPA replaced with Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA)
- 1937-38: Prof. M.L. Shroff (Father of Indian Pharmacy) started B.Pharm at BHU
- 1939: First issue of Indian Journal of Pharmacy published
- 1940: First pharmacy graduate in India – Subhadra Kumar Patni; Prof. Schroff started M.Pharm at BHU
- 1941: Post for Hospital Pharmacist announced at KEM Hospital, Mumbai
- 1943: First Post Graduate in Pharmacy – Gorakh Prasad Srivastava (BHU)
- 1944: Degree course in pharmacy started at University of Punjab, Lahore (now UIPS, Chandigarh); Founder – Dr. Khem Singh Grewal
PHARMACY EDUCATION IN INDIA – POST-INDEPENDENCE ERA
- 1949: Pharmacy Council of India established; Diploma in Pharmacy started at Jalpaiguri, West Bengal
- 1953: First Education Regulations (ER) framed (amended in 1972, 1981, 1991); D.Pharm declared minimum qualification; First PhD holder in Pharmacy – Sheovihari Lal (University of Patna)
- 1954: Pay scales for pharmacists recommended by Major General S.L. Bhatia (Pharmacy Enquiry Committee Report)
- 1955: First edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia published
- 1960: AICTE gave syllabus of Master of Pharmacy
- 1966: Second edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia published
- 1978: Nayudamma Committee directed GATE examination for M.Pharm with scholarship
- 1985: Third edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia published
- 1991: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) established at Mohali (First Director – Dr. C.L. Kaul)
- 1996: Fourth edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia published
- 2007: Fifth edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia published
- 2008 (10th May): Pharm.D regulations notified in Indian Gazette
HISTORY OF PHARMACY INDUSTRY – PRE-1970s
- 1930: Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Works established in Calcutta (first Indian pharmaceutical company still existing)
- 1970: Patents Act 1970 – removed composition patents from food and drugs; shortened to 5-7 years (process patents only)
- Indian market became undesirable to MNCs due to lack of patent protection; Indian companies replaced them
- During this period, product and process patents recognized based on Indian Patents and Designs Act, 1911; drug prices remained high due to MNC monopoly
HISTORY OF PHARMACY INDUSTRY – 1970-1995
- India Drugs and Pharmaceutical Ltd. (IDPL) spearheaded pharmaceutical industry development
- 1972: New Patent Act effective – recognized only process patent, not product patent
- Indian firms used reverse engineering to manufacture drugs without paying royalty
- Domestic pharmaceutical firms increased from ~2,000 (1970) to 24,000 (1995)
- Bulk drug production: ₹18 crores (1965-66) → ₹1,518 crores (1995)
- Formulations production: ₹150 crores → ₹7,935 crores
HISTORY OF PHARMACY INDUSTRY – 1995-2005
- India called “pharmacy of the poor”
- 2005: Patent Amendment Bill – substance and manufacturing process protected for 7 years
- Patents valid for 20 years (international standards)
- TRIPS Agreement (Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) signed
- Indian pharmaceutical industry ranked 4th among Asian countries
- Product patent re-introduced by TRIPS Agreement
HISTORY OF PHARMACY INDUSTRY – POST-2005
- 2005 (March 22): Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 – system of product patents (backdated to January 1, 2005) introduced
- New regime abolished previous process patent system (1970 Patent Act)
- MNCs (e.g., Merck & Co.) returned – MSD India Pvt. Ltd. inaugurated (July 2005)
PHARMACY PRACTICE & PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- 1912: United Provinces Prevention of Adulteration Act
- 1919: Poison Act implanted; Bengal Food Adulteration Act; Bihar & Orissa Prevention of Adulteration Act; Madras Prevention of Adulteration Act
- 1920 (3rd Nov): Calcutta Chemists and Druggists Association (1926 – renamed Bengal Chemists and Druggists Association)
- 1923: Pharmaceutical Association (Chennai) formed; 1925 – renamed Pharmaceutical Society of India
- 1930: Dangerous Drug Act; Drug Enquiry Committee (Chopra Committee – Chairman Col. R.N. Chopra)
- 1931: Chopra Committee report published
- 1941 (Jan): First All India Pharmaceutical Conference held at Banaras
- 1940: Drugs Bill introduced → later accepted as Drugs Act, 1940
- 1945: Drug and Cosmetic Act and Rules established; Pharmacy Bill for standardising Pharmacy Education
- 1946: Health Survey Development Committee (Bhore Committee) – 3-tier pharmacy education (diploma, degree, technologists)
- 1948: Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association (IPCA) developed; first annual conference (Dec 1948) with Prof. M.L. Shroff as president; Indian Pharmacopoeial Committee constituted (Chairman Dr. B.N. Ghosh); Pharmacy Act 1948 enacted
- 1954 (March): IPCA and IPA united; Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act passed
- 1955: Medicinal and Toilet Preparations (Excise Duties) Act passed
- 1961: Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) founded
- 1963: Indian Hospital Pharmacists Association (IHPA) formed (HQ New Delhi)
- 1965: Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) established (HQ Mumbai)
- 1979: All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) formed
- 1980: Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association (IPGA) established
- 1984: Amendment in Pharmacy Act, 1948 – restricted pharmacy practice only to “Qualified Registered Pharmacists”
- 1985: Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Act passed
- 1994: All India Board of Pharmaceutical Education and National Board of Accreditation formed
- 2003: Charter of Pharma Vision 2020 released by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during 55th IPC at Chennai
- 2006: Roadmap document during 58th IPC at Mumbai
SUMMARY TABLE: KEY MILESTONES IN PHARMACY EDUCATION
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1874 | Two-year “Chemists and Druggists Diploma” at Madras Medical College |
| 1932 | Pharmaceutical chemistry at BHU (Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya) |
| 1937-38 | B.Pharm started at BHU (Prof. M.L. Shroff – Father of Indian Pharmacy) |
| 1940 | First pharmacy graduate – Subhadra Kumar Patni; M.Pharm at BHU |
| 1949 | Pharmacy Council of India established; D.Pharm at Jalpaiguri |
| 1953 | D.Pharm as minimum qualification; First PhD – Sheovihari Lal |
| 2008 | Pharm.D regulations notified |
SUMMARY TABLE: PHARMACY PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
| Association | Year | HQ/Main Info |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) | 1936 | Formerly UPPA |
| Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association (IPCA) | 1948 | First president – Prof. M.L. Shroff |
| Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) | 1961 | – |
| Indian Hospital Pharmacists Association (IHPA) | 1963 | New Delhi |
| Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) | 1965 | Mumbai |
| All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) | 1979 | Merged all other bodies |
| Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association (IPGA) | 1980 | – |
Dr. Saint Paul is a pharmacy educator, Pharm.D graduate, and academic content creator from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK), where he completed his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree between 2015 and 2021.
He has more than 7 years of experience creating pharmacy educational content, writing study materials, and reviewing academic articles for pharmacy students. He has also contributed guest articles to pharmacy education platforms, including PharmD Guru.
At D.PharmGuru, his work focuses on simplifying complex Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharmacy) subjects into easy-to-understand notes, practical explanations, and exam-oriented educational resources for students across India.
His areas of focus include Human Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy, and other core D.Pharmacy subjects.
