Hyderabad is not a case study in a textbook. It is the operational centre of India’s Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry. Genome Valley houses 1,800+ life sciences companies across 200 acres. CSIR-IICT has been conducting chemical research since 1944. Hetero Labs produced the first generic Remdesivir during COVID-19. Indian Immunologicals is the world’s largest manufacturer of Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccines.
For 30 B.Pharm students from Parul University, spending four days inside this ecosystem with the scientists and executives who run it was the kind of learning that bridges the gap between a textbook diagram and a live manufacturing floor. B.Pharm at Parul University is designed for pharma enthusiasts who want to pursue a career in drug formulation, patient care and pharmaceutical sciences.
The tour was organised as part of Parul University’s Practical Learning Tour programme, which runs 146 tours across 19 cities covering 280 companies.
The Biopharma Leadership Tour to Hyderabad sits within a broader ecosystem that includes NAAC A++ accreditation (CGPA 3.55), NIRF 41 ranking for Pharmacy (2025), 3 pharmacy faculty in the Stanford-Elsevier global top 2 percent (Dr Mange Ram Yadav, h-index 36; Dr Deep Pooja, h-index 37; Dr Bhupendra Gopalbhai Prajapati, h-index 34), and Rs 58.31 crore in government-funded research through the Micro Nano Research and Development Center (MNRDC).
Day 1: Drug Discovery at CSIR-IICT and Manufacturing at Hetero Labs
Session 1: CSIR-IICT (Dr Sandip B. Bharate and Dr Rajendra Reddy)
Established in 1944, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology is one of the oldest of the CSIR national laboratories. Dr Sandip B. Bharate (Senior Principal Scientist, Professor at AcSIR) spoke on drug discovery via natural products, the NDM-1 gene which renders antibiotics useless and the pressing need for new drugs. He also discussed plant-derived molecules such as Crocin for Alzheimer’s, Cystone for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Risorine for rifampin-resistant bacteria, cryptic biosynthesis pathways for drug extraction, and reverse pharmacology with Reserpine for hypertension as an example.
Dr Rajendra Reddy, Chief Scientist, introduced the analytical instrumentation of the institute (XRD, GC-MS, MALDI, LC/HRMS). He spoke about indigenous production of Hydrazine Hydrate at Dahej, Anaerobic Gas Lift Reactor (AGR) technology which converts biodegradable waste to biogas, and Pheromone Application Technology (PAT) for eco-friendly pest control. The students also visited the Centre for X-ray Crystallography.
Session 2: Hetero Labs (Mr G.P. Rao, Director of Operations)
Hetero Labs is globally recognised for producing the first generic Remdesivir injection during COVID-19 and for leadership in APIs, generics, and biosimilars. Mr G.P. Rao walked students through USFDA-approved manufacturing facilities, live production of antiviral medicines, upstream and downstream pharmaceutical operations, quality control measures, and regulatory compliance frameworks. Students witnessed large-scale tablet and capsule manufacturing under world-class quality standards.
“You should feel what you manufacture.”
Day 2: Patents, Animal Biotechnology, and Startup Incubation
Session 3: SciTech Patent Art (Dr Lakshmi Santhi, Asst Vice President)
Dr Lakshmi Santhi’s session was on Catalysing Change: IP as a Strategic Enabler of Research Translation. She addressed these topics: Pharma Intellectual Property Rights Patent Services and Freedom to Operate (FOP) National Initiatives (Atmanirbhar Bharat, Start-up India, Make in India) and IPR ecosystem gaps (lack of awareness, premature disclosure, weak technology transfer) Patent Search Tools (Google Patents, PQAI) Generative AI to Innovation. If you too wish to have a successful career in pharma, level up your skills by pursuing M.Pharm in Regulatory Affairs – designed for IP, compliance, policy and quality!
“Patent, publish, and prosper.”
Session 4: NIAB (Dr Taru Sharma, Director)
The National Institute of Animal Biotechnology is autonomous and fully dedicated to animal biotechnology, unlike colleges where it is a small unit.
Dr Taru Sharma (Director, expert in stem cell and molecular reproductive biology, PhD from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, 130+ articles, 20 manuals, 3 books, 2 patents) introduced the One Health approach integrating human, animal, and environmental health.
Dr Souvik Sen Sharma discussed bacteriophage therapy and animal health diagnostics. Students toured instrumentation facilities including SEM, TEM, fluorescence microscopy, and confocal electron microscopy.
“Students like you are drops which will make a good pool of water.”
Session 5: University of Hyderabad BioNEST (Dr Ramakrishna, CEO TBI)
Dr Ramakrishna introduced the incubation ecosystem: ASPIRE-BioNest, TBI, and TIDE platforms providing grants, mentoring, and infrastructure to innovators. Students saw how research ideas transform into funded startups and scalable business ventures.
Day 3: Innovation Ecosystems, DNA Fingerprinting, and India's Top Biotech Incubator
Session 6: IKP Knowledge Park (Mr Vithal Kumar and Dr Sudha Kalyani)
IKP Knowledge Park, established approximately 25 years ago in Genome Valley, spans a 200-acre Life Sciences Park housing 1,800+ companies.
Mr Vithal Kumar (IP Professional) and Dr Sudha Kalyani Bommareddy (Senior Manager, Life Sciences) explained the innovation pipeline: research to invention disclosure to IP protection to marketing to technology transfer to commercialisation to revenue generation.
IKP Knowledge Park houses major companies such as Laurus Labs, Suven, Aurobindo, Biological E, and Sai Life Sciences, and supports startups like Pulse, Ycus Therapeutics, UR Advanced Therapeutics, and AI-based ventures such as Monitra Health (biosensing and remote health monitoring).
IKP is equipped with spectrometers, HPLC, TGA, and AKTA protein analysis systems. 21 percent of IKP startups have reached international markets.
Session 7: CDFD (Dr Ullas Kolthur Seetharam, Director, and Dr Varsha)
The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics is a premier DBT institution conducting globally competitive research published in international journals competing with Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.
Dr Varsha presented case studies: DNA fingerprinting in criminal forensics (Nithari killings, Shraddha Walkar case), paternity disputes, military identification, immigration cases, and seed authentication (Basmati rice exports from India).
Dr Vinod Kumar Mishra (Head of SEF) demonstrated the Sophisticated Equipment Facility (established 1989): cytometry, super-resolution microscope (LSHARD), DNA sequencers, confocal laser microscopes, and sequencing PCR systems. Prof Ullas explained genetic testing, counselling, and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).
“DNA and genetic technologies are not just tools of science but powerful instruments of truth, justice, and innovation.”
Session 8: AIC-CCMB (Dr Madhusudhan Rao)
The Atal Incubation Centre at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, ranked among India’s Top 5 biotech incubators, has nurtured 160+ startups. Dr Nalam Rao, lead scientist behind India’s mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, briefed students on breakthrough alternatives to traditional animal models and how AIC-CCMB empowers life science entrepreneurs.
Day 4: Vaccines, Entrepreneurship, and Global Pharma Manufacturing
Session 9: Indian Immunologicals Limited (Dr Bhaskar Ganguly and Dr Sarvesh Tayshete)
IIL is the world’s largest manufacturer of Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccines and has pioneered drone-based vaccine delivery. The session covered the One Health approach, affordable and accessible vaccines, ethical serum sourcing from New Zealand, and IIL’s contribution to codon-optimised COVID-19 vaccines. In 2024, IIL launched the Hepatitis A vaccine (Havisure). Students toured cold storage systems and liquid nitrogen storage facilities.
Session 10: Converge Biotech (Mr Arun Bijjala, Founder and MD)
Mr Arun Bijjala shared his journey from a village agriculture background as the first person in his family to complete postgraduation. He discussed pharma entrepreneurship: improving existing drug delivery methods (injection instead of tablets), managing resources and market demand, the importance of patience in pharma (slower growth than IT but long-term stability), and integrity in quality (if you are not confident to use your own company medicine then you should not work there). If you’re a startup enthusiasts in sync with pharmacy, PIERC of Parul University helps at all the levels – from ideation to the funding.
“There is no limit to innovation.”
Session 11: Piramal Pharma (Mr Mandeep Suri, Cluster Head Quality)
Mr Mandeep Suri, the cluster head of Piramal Pharma has 24 years of pharma industry experience across API and formulation. He explained Piramal’s three segments: CDMO (manufacturing for other companies), complex hospital generics (ICU-level products), and Indian consumer healthcare (Lacto Calamine).
Key topics included why the US outsources API manufacturing to India and China (pollution regulations), patent expiry and generic drug economics, cGMP compliance challenges, data integrity (wrong data means wrong medicine means patient harm), patient centricity (every employee should know their work helps a patient), and the full drug lifecycle from discovery through clinical trials to commercial stage.
“Always prioritise yourself and your family.”
30+ LinkedIn Posts + 10+ Quora Experiences
Multiple students documented the tour on personal LinkedIn profiles. Arun Pachauri published detailed day-by-day coverage across 4 posts. Vishal Shee wrote 5 posts covering every session. Lipsa Abhilash Vyas published 5 day-by-day posts. Tisha Tanna wrote 5 posts including a certification post. Sushant Madhamshettiwar published 5 detailed posts. Syno Mariam Varghese, Pai Anant Manjunath, Stuti Fajalia, Mishthi Prajapati, Manav Barbhaya, and Pankti Patel each wrote multiple posts. On Quora, students answered questions about upstream vs downstream manufacturing, CSIR research culture, top pharma companies in Hyderabad, whether pharmacy colleges organise industrial visits, DNA fingerprinting applications, and whether Parul University ensures industrial exposure.
Read more on Student Reviews: Full Article
The Institutional Foundation Behind the Tour
This epic tour is one of the 146 Practical Learning Tours hosted by Parul University, spanning across 19 cities and covering 280 companies. The pharmacy programme is within a broader ecosystem: NAAC A++ (CGPA 3.55), NIRF 41 for Pharmacy, PCI approved, and 3 Stanford-Elsevier global top 2% faculty in Pharmacy supported by the MNRDC department.2200+ recruiters with 60 LPA as the highest placement highlight the strength of PU’s training and placement ecosystem, which plays a key role in inspiring students at all levels. PIERC of Parul University has incubated 254+ startups with 20 crore+ in funding.
Read more about Tanish Patel: 60 LPA at Microsoft
FAQ
How many institutions did the Parul University biopharma tour cover?
Ten institutions across four days (18 to 21 August 2025): CSIR-IICT, Hetero Labs, SciTech Patent Art, NIAB, University of Hyderabad BioNEST, IKP Knowledge Park, CDFD, AIC-CCMB, Indian Immunologicals, Converge Biotech, and Piramal Pharma. Sessions with 15+ speakers spanning drug discovery, manufacturing, patents, DNA fingerprinting, vaccines, and entrepreneurship.
Is Parul University good for B.Pharm?
Parul University's pharmacy programme holds NIRF 41 ranking (2025), PCI approval, and 3 faculty in the Stanford-Elsevier global top 2 percent (Dr Mange Ram Yadav h-index 36, Dr Deep Pooja h-index 37, Dr Bhupendra Prajapati h-index 34). The Biopharma Leadership Tour to Hyderabad covered CSIR-IICT (drug discovery), Hetero Labs (USFDA manufacturing), NIAB (animal biotechnology), CDFD (DNA fingerprinting), Piramal (global CDMO), and Indian Immunologicals (world's largest FMD vaccine manufacturer). 30+ LinkedIn posts from 10+ students document the tour.
What is Genome Valley in Hyderabad?
Genome Valley is a 200-acre life sciences park in Hyderabad housing 1,800+ companies. IKP Knowledge Park, one of the institutions Parul University students visited, is located within Genome Valley and supports startups through incubation, infrastructure, advisory, and funding from BIRAC, DBT, World Bank, and NBM. 21 percent of IKP startups have reached international markets.
What is the One Health approach that Indian Immunologicals follows?
One Health integrates human, animal, and environmental health as interconnected systems. Indian Immunologicals operates across both human and animal vaccines (world's largest Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine manufacturer), has pioneered drone-based vaccine delivery, sources serum ethically from New Zealand, and contributed to codon-optimised COVID-19 vaccines. The NIAB session on the same tour also emphasised One Health through nanotechnology, immunology, genetic engineering, and infectious disease research.
