Manipal, October 13, 2024: The 2nd National cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fanfare at the TMA Pai Auditorium, MAHE, Manipal, with the presence of esteemed industry stalwarts and university officials. The event, organised by the Centre for cGMP at Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MCOPS), highlighted the importance of adhering to pharmaceutical quality standards and celebrated advancements in pharmaceutical education and practice.

The event commenced on Day 1 with an inaugural ceremony, where Dr. Montukumar M Patel, President of the Pharmacy Council of India, New Delhi, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his address, He emphasised the vital role of regulatory compliance and quality assurance in the pharmaceutical industry. He commended MAHE for its proactive approach in integrating cGMP principles into education and encouraged the participants to continue their commitment to maintaining high standards in healthcare and pharmaceutical practices. His speech set a tone of responsibility and excellence for the event.

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, VSM (Retd) Vice Chancellor of MAHE, was also present during the inaugural function and emphasised the university's commitment to fostering excellence in pharmaceutical education. In his address, he remarked, "At MAHE, we are dedicated to providing our students with the tools and knowledge to excel in their respective fields, and events like the National cGMP Day are vital in connecting our academic efforts with the highest standards in the pharmaceutical industry." His inspiring words further highlighted MAHE’s leadership in education and its focus on quality-driven practices.

On Day 2, the celebrations continued with Sri Mehul Shah, General Secretary of IDMA and Managing Director of Encube Ethicals Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, as the Chief Guest. During his address, He praised Manipal as a "hub of education," acknowledging its impressive scale, which includes over 25,000 students, 26 streams, and 130 courses. He paid tribute to Dr. T.M.A. Pai, the visionary behind Manipal’s educational infrastructure. Sri Daara B Patel, Secretary General of IDMA and Guest of Honour, highlighted the importance of upholding high professional standards in the industry and assured IDMA's continued support for MAHE’s initiatives.

Pro Vice-Chancellor of MAHE, Dr. Sharath K Rao, in his welcome address, emphasised the integration of micro-credentials in postgraduate courses at MCOPS to further enhance the skill set of pharmaceutical professionals. Dr. Girish Pai, Coordinator of the Centre for cGMP, praised the success of the inaugural National cGMP Day, acknowledging the significant contributions of Sri Mehul Shah and Sri Daara B Patel.

A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the "National cGMP Day Award 2024" to Sri S M Mudda for his outstanding contributions to pharmaceutical quality systems. The award was received on his behalf by Sri Mehul Shah. Sri Mudda sent a message expressing his deep gratitude and commitment to promoting robust pharmaceutical practices. A solemn minute of silence was also observed to pay homage to Shri Ratan Tata.

A newsletter titled "cGMP CONNECT" was officially released by the distinguished guests, followed by a series of insightful plenary sessions. Notable speakers included Mr. Madhav Jain from AbbVie, USA, Pushpavalli Krishnamurthy from Ingredion Pharma Texture Solution, and Dr. Kaushik Devarju, President of KRPA, Bengaluru. These sessions were chaired by respected industry professionals, including Mahesh Rao, Chief Quality Officer at IBPS, Goa, Dr. A Srinatha from National College of Pharmacy, Shimoga, and Mrs. Akshaya Bhandarkar from Vidya Siri College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru.

The afternoon session featured an engaging Industry-Institute panel discussion moderated by Dr. P V Mallya, with panelists Dr. Girish Pai, Dr. A Srinatha, and Mr. Hemanth from AstraZeneca, Bengaluru. Discussions centred around the critical importance of industry-academia collaboration in ensuring adherence to cGMP standards and fostering innovation in pharmaceutical education.

The event concluded with a valedictory function presided over by Dr. Harish Kumar, Director of Corporate Relations, MAHE, and the Chief Guest, Sri Harish K Jain, President of FOPE. Certificates were awarded to the winners of the poster presentations by Dr. Girish Pai and Principal of MCOPS Dr. Srinivas Mutalik. The vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Ravindra Shenoy, Co-coordinator of the Centre for cGMP, while Dr. Rekha R Shenoy, Faculty, MCOPS, coordinated the valedictory function.

The 2nd National cGMP Day was a resounding success, further cementing MAHE’s leadership in pharmaceutical education and its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality in the industry.