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The Jury

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JURY
The Jury

This approach ensures the integrity of our awards. Winners are selected based on merit, not popularity, by a distinguished panel of 5 veteran leaders with expertise in pharma quality, from regulatory bodies and academia. This proven method ensures deserving recognition and has garnered commendation for its effectiveness.

To make sure no one can influence the jury’s decision, we are keeping the names private. The jury members are qualified personnels with pharma, academic, regulatory body background.

Dr. VG Nayak

Dr. V.G. Nayak

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Dr. Vijay Bambulkar

Prof. (Dr.) Vijay Bambulkar

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PL Sahu

Prof. (Dr.) P.L. Sahu

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Dr. Udaykumar Rakibe

Dr. Udaykumar Rakibe

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Mr. SM Mudda

Mr. S. M. Mudda

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Sridhar Rao

Mr. Sridhar Rao

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Dr. Prasad V. Kanitkar

Dr. Prasad V. Kanitkar

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P.

Performance

Measurable improvements & growth in quality metrics
Track record of maintaining compliance & inspection outcomes
Stakeholder and pharmacist feedback record for product delivered
R.

Reliability

Consistency of the performance
Adherence to the regulatory requirements & compliance
Supplier quality management matrix to ensure consistent standards
I.

Innovation

Implementation of technologies, methodologies & innovative practices.
Upskilling the workforce with latest adoption of innovation.
Impact of innovation initiatives on quality and efficiency
D.

Development

Training programs aimed at enhancing the team skills & knowledge
Career development opportunities; workshops, certifications focused on quality
Additional support programs & mentorship to promote team excellence
E.

EHS

Adherence to EHS regulations
Health & safety training practices & their impact on reducing incidents & improving workplace safety Initiatives taken to reduce the environmental impact, such as waste reduction, water treatment, energy efficiency and/or sustainable sourcing panels
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Dr. Vinay Nayak

Dr. VG Nayak

Dr. Vinay Nayak is a seasoned pharmaceutical expert with over 40 years of experience in technical operations, spanning manufacturing, QA, R&D, and regulatory affairs. He spent two decades at Cipla, where he played a pivotal role in inhalation delivery and antiretroviral and oncology drug development, contributing to the company’s growth from ₹18 crores to ₹4,500 crores. A key speaker at national and international seminars, Dr. Nayak has contributed to 65 monographs as a USP member and served over 30 years on the IP Commission.

He held senior leadership roles at Lupin (EVP, Technical Operations), Watson Pharma (President), Alembic Pharma (President), Emcure (Technical Head), and Marksans Pharma (Executive Director & Board Member), overseeing major plant expansions, regulatory approvals (USFDA, MHRA, EDQM, TGA, ANVISA), and registering over 200 ANDAs. At Watson, he led the integration of three sites and expanded operations, pushing the share price from $21 to $200.

From 2018–2022, he was an Independent Director at Aarti Industries, and currently serves on the board of Aarti Pharmalabs. A trusted consultant, Dr. Nayak is the recipient of several accolades, including the EBM Lifetime Achievement Award, and has chaired technical and quality committees for over two decades.

Prof. (Dr.) Vijay Bambulkar

Dr. Vijay Bambulkar

M. Pharm., Ph.D., FIPA, R.Ph; Former, Asia-Pacific Director J&J
Sr. Management Program of J&J from Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Manila, Philippines.
Skills: Leadership, Product Devp. Tech-Transfer, Mfg., Regulatory, QA and Prof. Networking.
Active engaged with industry, academia & professional industry associations as the CONSULTANT for Technical, Regulatory & Quality expertise in Cosmetics, Pharma, Medical Devices, Ayurvedic, Nutraceuticals, Industrial Products, and Labeling compliance.

Working as DIRECTOR part time at HPC Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai and as the consultant with established Indian & MNC FMCGs as well Contract Mfg. companies manufacturing products for 40+ clients companies. Working with 40+ years established Indian MNC excipient & specialty chemical manufacturing company. Products are used in pharma/food/cosmetic industry and exporting to 65 countries. Ongoing legal metrology & regulatory compliance of Medical Device MNCs & Cosmetics companies. Worked for Singapore & Vietnam based Capital Venture Company for Medical Devices & Nutraceuticals Start-Up projects. Worked as the technical expert to address misleading cosmetics product claims & disputes in media for Advertising Standard Council of India. Founder Hon. Sec. & Man-Com Member of Indian Society of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC, USA).

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE:
43+ years of experience in new product development from concept to commercialization, quality assurance, consumer science, regulatory & medical affairs in 5 multinationals viz. Abbott, Wyeth, May&Baker, Rhone–Poulenc and Johnson & Johnson including 7+ years industrial consultancy. At J&J, Director – Asia-Pacific External Growth & Innovation, Regulatory Affairs addressing L&A, M&D leads for technology, brand and at company level deals. Served as J&J’s Asia Pacific Leadership team member for these expertises. Worked as Director-Regulatory & Medical Affairs, J&J India and served as board member for J&J India for 6 years as well as GM-R&D & Regulatory Affairs. Worked as Pharma & Consumer Product Development Head for all 5 MNCs mentioned. He was responsible for technical aspects of Rx, Ayurvedic & OTC drugs, Cosmetics, Food and industrial types of products. Worked as Head of Strategic Development for Clinical studies of cosmetic products at KET’s Sc. Research Centre.

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS:
IPA (Indian Pharm. Asso.) Central Executive Council Member Dec-24onwards, Past-President of IPA-Maharashtra) & special invitee. Served as Director-IPAMH’s Venture Devp. Viz. Academy for Clinical Excellence (ACE) and MKR public testing lab approved by NABL & FDA. National Convener of Skin Care Products Committee, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and ISO & member of many sub-committees & work groups including Fragrance & Flavor committee to formulate national standards. EC member / Speaker / Chairman at the India events organized by IPC, IPA, OPPI for Pharma and Indian Beauty & Hygiene Association, HPCI, SCODET ASIA, IHPCIA, ISCC, ISDC, IFRA/CSIR-IITR.

ACADEMIA CONTRIBUTIONS:
Professor of Practice at DYPU Pharmacy, Navi Mumbai. Industry Expert Member of Pharmacy Council of India’s (Govt.) New Edu. Policy 2020 syllabus reforms. Mentoring Faculty & Students Development Programs, external faculty as an expert industrial pharmacist / Industry-Academia Board / addressing topics of UG/PG topics, Examiner for PG & PhD at Universities viz. JSS, KLE, KVV, SP Pune, Mumbai & Shivaji., AMRITA, BoS Member Nagpur (Ex) & AMITY Uni.

RECOGNITIONS:
Eminent Pharma Personality for distinguished contribution to pharma & cosmetics industry in 2005 by CIPPARA, Nagpur. Fellowship (FIPA) by Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) in 2013. Registered with Maharashtra Govt. as FDA Certified Chemist & Retail Pharmacist. Life Membership: IPA (Pharma), ISCC (Cosmetics), Cosmetology Society of India (Dermatologist).

Prof. (Dr.) P.L. Sahu
At present Dr. Sahu is the Director & CEO (I/c), at National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), Government of India.

PL Sahu

Dr. Sahu has a Master degree followed by Ph. D. in Chemistry from Central University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. He has over 30 years of rich & varied experience in analytical research & development working on various positions in top ranking Pharmaceutical companies in India and abroad including Lupin Ltd., Ipca Laboratories, Dr. Reddy`s Laboratory, Jubilant Life Sciences, Abdi Ibhrahim Pharmaceutical, Turkey.

Initiating his career as Analytical Chemist at Lupin; over the period of time he has risen to the level of Head R & D at Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, and now currently heading the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) which is only such WADA accredited Laboratory in India and among 30 Laboratories in the World.

He is accustomed to taking up professional challenges and had consistently been contributed in Indian/Foreign Pharmaceutical companies, focused on analytical method development, validations, standard setting for drugs and other drug development activities.

He is also Technical and Lead Assessor for ISO/IEC: 17025 and ISO 17034 at National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

Dr. Sahu appointed as Professor of Practice (Honorary) at National Forensic Science University (NFSU) and Adjunct Professor at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) – Hydrabad. He is also a senate member at NIPER-Ahmedabad.
Dr. Sahu has been nominated by the Government of India at UNESCO Global Task Force Members for Traditional Pharmacopoeia in the context of Sport Vlaues, Ethics and Integrity.

He has played a significant role in strengthening the National Dope Testing Laboratory and collaborated with National and International Institutes in the field of Anti-Doping Science. He has done innovative work in NDTL by synthesizing Reference Materials used in Anti-Doping Science. He has come across the opportunities of sharing his vision at numerous national & international forums and organised national and global symposium/workshps. He has traveled widely within India and abroad representing Government of India and also as a special invite in his personal capacity.

Recently, he has also appointed as Director-APMU, India.

Dr. Udaykumar Rakibe
Founder, PharmaMantra TM

Dr. Udaykumar Rakibe

Dr. Udaykumar is a quality professional with a dynamic career steering organization through complex Quality & Regulatory challenges, transitions, building an empowered and talented workforce in the cross-cultural environment within highly competitive products and regulatory environment.

In Year 2006, as Director – Quality Assurance, he was mandated and given the task to execute and spearhead the proactive remediation at Ranbaxy Lab. Ltd. Subsequently since Daichii Sankyo takeover, he was made Head, India and Asia Quality Operations and overseeing the state of control. In late 2011 he was recruited by Intas Pharma Ltd. to create a self-sustaining quality management system. Further, in 2013 he was hand-picked & recruited by Wockhardt Ltd., as Senior Vice President – Quality, to turn around the Quality Management, lead and manage the remediation of Quality initiatives. He has represented the Organisation as Quality Head and prepared, presented and attended the regulatory meetings with IAG/ MHRA/ IMB/ USFDA at London and Washington. Has performed 400+ Audits and faced 500+ regulatory audits.

He has founded the consulting firm, PharmaMantra, a Quality Advisory and consulting firm in August 2017. Since then he has performed Training, GAP assessment Audit, Site support during EDQM/ USFDA, Toxicological PDE Certification, and Consulting assignments for Indian and MNC clientele. He has proposed Corrective Action Plan and worked with senior management to maintain a culture of compliance and trust with regulators. He envisions thorough PharmaMantra, he shall be able to provide the Manufacturing and Quality Leaders the desired insights and advice to reach simple sustainable solutions for the seemingly complex situations/ problems/ activities. He has experience which can be shared and adopted for various stages of the Quality System developments and subsequent evolution to demonstrate the desired Culture of Pharmaceutical Quality.

Mr. S.M. Mudda
Managing Director of Misom Labs Limited, Malta

Mr. SM Mudda

Mr. S.M. Mudda is a Pharmacy graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies. He has more than 42 years of wide experience in pharmaceutical industry covering all aspects of pharmaceutical manufacturing. He was associated with Micro Labs Limited for more than 30 years and served them as Executive Director Technical and operations and later as Director Global Strategies.

He is the Managing Director of Misom Labs Limited, Malta, an EU GMP Licensed Pharmaceutical Testing Laboratory.
Ex-President – NSF Health Sciences (India) representing NSF International UK, a Global GMP Consulting and Education company in Asia Pacific Region.

Program Director, NSF UK, Advanced Program in Pharmaceutical Quality Management offered in collaboration with Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) for the senior executives of the industry.

He is actively associated with IDMA and is Chairman of Regulatory Affairs Committee.

He is also serving as Technical Advisor and Leadership Mentor to many leading Indian companies.

Mr. Sridhar Rao

Sridhar Rao

With an impressive 45 years of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing and Quality Assurance, this seasoned technical specialist has built an enduring legacy in the industry. His expertise spans across oral solids, liquids, topicals, and sterile dosage forms, having led Quality Units across multi-locational sites with a proven track record of driving operational efficiency, compliance, and a collaborative work culture.

He has successfully established large Quality teams rooted in integrity, and implemented Continued and Competitive Compliance Programs that earned approvals from global regulatory authorities like WHO, USFDA, MHRA/EU, TGA, ANVISA, and MCC. He has played a pivotal role in integrating advanced technologies—SAP, LIMS, LMS, TrackWise, AWMS, AERS—into pharmaceutical operations to enhance governance and efficiency.

As Principal Consultant at SREE Consulting since 2015, he has advised numerous Indian and international sites on quality audits, remediation post-inspections, and system enhancements. His prior leadership roles at Mylan and Strides involved harmonizing global quality systems and managing regulatory relationships across India, Singapore, Poland, and Brazil.

Core competencies include Quality System design, quality planning, team development, audits, and global stakeholder engagement. His career reflects a commitment to continuous improvement, regulatory excellence, and shaping high-performance quality organizations in the global pharma landscape.

Dr. Prasad V. Kanitkar
At present Dr. Kanitkar is free-lance Consultant in the Pharmaceutical field

Dr. Prasad V. Kanitkar

Dr. Kanitkar has a Master degree followed by Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry from University of Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra. He has over 52 years of rich and varied experience in Quality Operations, Analytical Research and Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing in Top Ranking Pharma Multinationals on various positions in top ranking pharmaceutical companies in India including Hoechst India Limited., Sandoz and Pfizer Limited.

Initiating his career as Research Chemist (Analytical) at Hoechst Research; over the period of time, he has risen to the level as Director, Quality Operations at Pfizer Limited and finally moving as Director, Plant Operations.

Dr. Kanitkar is a recipient of prestigious “W. E. Upjohn Quality Award”.

Dr. Kanitkar was also Scientific Body Member of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India for a period of 10 years.

He is accustomed to taking up professional challenges and had consistently been contributed in Training Programs at NIPER, Chandigarh focused on analytical method development, validations and various Quality Operations related topics.

Dr. Kanitkar was visiting Faculty at NMIMS, Vile Parle for M. Pharm/ MBA program covering various topics on Quality Systems

As a Certified Quality Auditor, Dr. Kanitkar has traveled widely within India and abroad representing Pfizer Limited.