Focus, Dedication and Passion: Dr. Pradeep's Cornerstone to Success

Pharma Now: Welcome to Pharma Now, Dr. Pradeep Nagalkar. Currently, you’re the Head of Quality Control at Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited. Most interestingly, you have extensive experience of more than three decades in the pharmaceutical industry. Can you share how your journey began, and how you achieved such a prestigious position?

Dr. Nagalkar: I have worked in this industry for more than 34 years. It was a pleasant journey with some highs and lows, but I believe in moving forward. My father was in [government] service, so we shifted from one city to another every 2-3 years. Eventually, I joined a college in Nagpur and stayed at the hostel. There, I completed my Bachelor’s in Microbiology. During my graduation, I took three subjects: microbiology, chemistry, and botany. I was a very bright student, and I tried to do something extra in every task. I remember one such experiment: in microbiology, we performed experiments on hanging drop preparation to study the motility of organisms. Instead of the general route, I placed a drop of stain on the coverslip, rubbed it, and then put it on our bacterial culture, which was stained. I showed this to my professor and achieved 29 marks out of 30 in practicals. This boosted me, and I was inclined towards research. 

Pharma Now: Did this inclination toward research push you to pursue a Master’s degree and PhD?

Dr. Nagalkar: Yes. In 1982, I came to Mumbai from Nagpur because I wanted to get into research. I submitted my application to JJ Hospital, KEM Hospital, and Bhavan’s College. I was interested in studying industrial microbiology. 13 days after I came to Mumbai, I was admitted to GS Medical College. The admission was temporary, and I was an under-observation student. I saw an advertisement for a scholarship by Bombay Hospital, applied for it, and was granted the scholarship. However, my admission was temporary as per the rules of GS Medical College. So, the dean helped me complete the process for getting a bona fide certificate. Scholarship fees cover only 2 years of education. But I was the only student who got fees for 3 years, and they continued it for 1 more year.

In this way, I completed my MSc at KEM Hospital. Then, I wanted to complete a PhD. I thought of quitting my job and continuing my studies. Fortunately, my application as a PhD student was accepted by the University and I could continue my job.

Because I had obtained research experience during my MSc, PhD was a little easier. I continued my job, working on the weekends, and I applied for a scholarship during my PhD. But because I had a job, I didn't get a scholarship. However, I got ‘contingency’, which covers the cost of chemicals. At that time, the contingency was Rs. 10,000, which was significant.

Pharma Now: Rs. 10,000 was a huge sum at that time. However, completing PhD with this sum would have been challenging, especially in pharma, because you require specialised kits and chemicals. Did you face such challenges?

Dr. Nagalkar: I had prepared a project and shared it with my seniors. The project was good, but the cost of the kit was very high. In 1992, the price of the kit was Rs. 30,000, and I wanted four kits, which adds up to 1.2 lakhs. In those days, 1.2 lakh was a huge sum and getting it was very challenging. My senior wrote letters to various manufacturers, requesting them to provide kits at a lower price. Thankfully, I received a response from a manufacturer in South Africa who was ready to provide the kit for Rs. 6,000 rupees and one kit for free. With those, I completed my PhD in 1996.

After my PhD, I received a call from Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceuticals Corporation Limited. They had an open position as the Head of the department (HOD) of quality control (QC), and I joined there because I had a background in pharmaceuticals.

Pharma Now: So, you joined the QC department directly as the head. I believe you now have a huge team in the QC department at Haffkine. However, when you joined, how many people were in your team?

Dr. Nagalkar: Haffkine had a big unit when I joined. 40-45 people were working under me, and their portfolio was also quite large. They were working on numerous vaccines, tablets, oral liquids, and disinfectants. 

Pharma Now: Going from a PhD student to the Head of Department must have been quite challenging. Which difficulties did you face during this transition? 

Dr. Nagalkar: I was a good leader. So, I could manage it, and my team was also pleased. A problem I faced was: After getting appointed as the Head of QC, my flow was disrupted. I had more of a managerial role; I didn’t work on tasks myself. As time passed, I encouraged my team members and solved their difficulties, and things went really smoothly. Then, the company gave me an additional responsibility: I became the Head of R&D as well as QC. 

Pharma Now: That’s a huge responsibility indeed, to manage two major departments of any pharmaceutical company! As the Head of R&D and QC, you would have to be involved in the entire process of a project–from ideation and development to actual product manufacturing. Can you share some details about any major project you oversaw during this period? 

Dr. Nagalkar: The government had sent a requirement for an anti-snake venom serum. So, let me give you some background: There are four important snakes in India, and we manufacture anti-snake-venom serums for all at one of our units in Pimpri (Maharashtra, India). The Indian Government and WHO noted that snakes from different regions had different venom. For example, cobras from Maharashtra, Jammu-Kashmir, Kolkata, and Kerala are different. So, they wanted different anti-snake-venom serums for snakes in different regions. I submitted the documentation for this project to the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). 

There are eight different geographical zones in India. I studied them and wrote letters to their respective wildlife authorities to get permission for snake venom milking. Snake venom milking is illegal without permission. After considering our project and requirements, the Forest Ministry permitted us. Unfortunately, even though we submitted the project, we could not complete it for other reasons.

Pharma Now: Speaking of vaccines and serums, Haffkine also played a huge role in developing COVID-19 vaccines. Can you share a little about the work you undertook for COVID-19 vaccines?

Dr. Nagalkar: During COVID, the government was interested in Haffkine because it was one of the first companies to manufacture vaccines. The Government provided funds under the COVID Suraksha Mission. As the Head of the R&D department, I submitted a project outline for vaccine manufacturing at our biosafety level-3 (BSL) facility. The proposed cost of the project was Rs. 154 crore, of which Rs. 90 crore was provided by the State Government and the remaining amount was provided by the DBT. The project was sanctioned. It was a collaborative project with Bharat Biotech. As Bharat Biotech started working with the National Institute of Virology (NIV), they took the COVID stain. We completed the technology transfer and started working on the vaccine.

A facility layout was prepared, which abided by the guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Regulatory Authority (NRA), and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). We also had a consultant, and the production map was prepared and approved by the CDSCO, Delhi. We were just supposed to start working on the project, but COVID-19 cases decreased. Then, the Government’s interest decreased. During the COVID-19 period, we travelled by road because train travel was restricted. We had late-night meetings with experts from the Health Ministry. I remember attending a meeting with the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Committee at 10:00 p.m. They had various questions regarding our project, and we had to answer all of them. 

The first instalment of the project was sanctioned by the State Government. The plan was also approved and forwarded to a facility developer; the project had almost started, but as COVID cases decreased, the government showed very little interest. So, the project did not debut. If we had completed that project, it would have been an outstanding achievement for Haffkine. 

Pharma Now: Yes, this would have been a huge achievement for Haffkine. You’ve probably experienced many ups and downs during your 30+ years of experience in the industry. Yet, you never took a break. What is the secret of this consistency?

Dr. Nagalkar: I dedicated my life to the industry; I did not take leaves. Determination and passion were my drivers. But you also need to have clarity, clarity about what you want to achieve. I was interested in reading books; I have a small library at my home. I am also interested in music; I play the guitar. In my days at GS Medical College, there was a Marathi Granth Sangrahalaya (a bookstore/library) near my hostel in Naigaon. I read almost every book available there, and I could read 300 pages in 3 hours. I also have a passion for music. So, I started learning guitar in 2010 when I was almost 50 years old. So, that’s the key. When you’re clear about your passion, your likes and dislikes, you should have the determination to stick with it.

Pharma Now: Yes, of course. If you lack passion for a task, it becomes ten times as difficult. I think the reason you’ve been such a successful head of R&D and QC is passion and determination. 

Dr. Nagalkar: Yes. Nothing is complicated in life, but everything becomes difficult if you lack passion. You have to tackle every life challenge, and you’ll never face any problems. I never had any trouble because I was always energetic. After all, if you are given a job, you should know how to do it.

Pharma Now: Yes, exactly. I think we’re seeing a growth in this mindset in India. People believe they can tackle problems. That’s another reason why India has become a more prominent player in the global pharmaceutical sector. Do you think India has the potential to become a leader in the pharmaceutical sector and other areas?

Dr. Nagalkar: India has always had potential. For example, the Earth was officially announced to be round by the Europeans 2000-3000 years ago. But, in our culture, Lord Vishnu’s Varaha Avatar is symbolised with a round Earth on his tusks. So, we knew this many, many years before it was official. Now, India is stepping ahead with good leadership. We are also coming up in sports with so many medals. Of course, we are improving and will become a key player in the world.

Pharma Now: Yes, and I think a lot of this will depend on our future generations. Can you share a message with them? What message would you like to give young professionals or students who want to flourish in pharma?

Dr. Nagalkar: My message is: You should do your job with dedication and passion. First, you must have a genuine interest in a field. Don't choose a field in which you have no interest. Second, do your work genuinely. Dedication and hard work are essential. I always think, “If you cannot fly, then run. If you cannot run, then walk. If you cannot walk, then crawl. But always be on the move. Ups and downs are faced by everyone.” All the people who are becoming famous now or are prominent personalities have become so after facing difficulties. Only focus, dedication, and passion are necessary.

Pharma Now: I think these are the three words to remember: focus, dedication and passion. Your journey is inspiring, and I’m sure our young professionals and students will be awed by your commitment, consistency, and passion. It was a pleasure talking to you. Thank you very much, Dr. Nagalkar, for joining us at Pharma Now. It was our pleasure to have you here.

Dr. Nagalkar: Thank you.