The IPA DG Shah Award for Best Public Policy Paper was instituted in 2019 to commemorate and carry forward the legacy of IPA’s first Secretary General, the late Shri Dilip G Shah. A tribute to Shri Shah’s immense contribution to public policy, the award is given annually and evaluated by a panel of experts at IIM Ahmedabad.
Late Shri Dilip Shah was the founder of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) and strongly led the interests of research-based pharmaceutical companies in India. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, he was instrumental in shaping the evidence-based policy in India and dedicated 50 years to his vision.
Under his visionary leadership, the Indian generic drug industry grew to become a $5 billion industry in the last two decades.
When the Indian market was dominated by multinational pharma companies predominantly based out of Europe and USA, Shri Shah became a trailblazer who paved the way for Indian pharma companies. Back then, the Indian pharma companies were struggling for validation of their drugs and became a saviour to countries in Africa and Asia.
These nations could not afford the high price tag that MNC drug makers had placed on life-saving drugs, specifically in the areas of HIV. The “copycat” drugs, also known as generic drugs, broke the monopoly of Big Pharma in these countries, which the West often criticised for not respecting the IP laws.
Shri Shah and the IPA became the body that resisted Intellectual Property Rights and supported lower-income countries like India, which were forced to sign under the World Trade Organisation’s TRIPS agreement. Through IPA, Mr Shah enabled a collective voice that worked towards the interests of the Indian generic drug companies.
Before joining IPA, Mr Shah was a Member of the Board of Directors of Pfizer-India, where he worked for 30 years. He was on the Board of Directors of many companies, including Fresenius Kabi Oncology, Anuh Pharma Ltd, and Shaily Engineering Plastics Ltd. Mr Shah was the CEO of Vision Consulting Group, a firm