Dr. Yusuf K. Hamied is a gifted entrepreneur of the Indian pharmaceutical industry. Apart from being an accomplished scientist, he combines great business acumen and intellect to strike the right balance between business considerations and social and humanitarian goals. He is currently the Chairman and Managing Director of Cipla Limited, which is renowned both locally and internationally for its high standards, quality, efficacy and affordability of medicines.

Born on 25 th July 1936 , Dr. Hamied obtained Ph.D in Organic Chemistry from Cambridge University. In the same year, he joined Cipla as a Research Officer. He was appointed as its Managing Director in 1976 and Chairman in the year 1989.

Dr. Hamied has been primarily responsible in the introduction, for the first time in India, of over 30 bulk drugs and their formulations. He is considered a pioneer of bulk drug industry in India and has a number of research papers and international patents to his credit. From a humble beginning, Cipla under the guidance of Dr. Hamied is now ranked as a leader in the domestic pharmaceutical industry. The company's turnover in 2004-2005 has exceeded Rs. 2300 crores of which 40% is exports. Cipla today manufactures and markets a wide range of medicines not only for the local market but also for export to 150 countries worldwide.

Dr. Hamied has pioneered and led the global fight against HIV and AIDS. Cipla was the first to offer the triple drug cocktail, Triomune, that can transform the life of an HIV positive patient at a fraction of the international cost. He had been instrumental in setting up a palliative care for cancer patients in Pune during the 1990's. This centre follows a unique family care modal, which offers free of cost, comfort and care to terminally ill cancer patients.

The recognitions received by Cipla under the leadership of Dr. Y. K. Hamied include two Chemexcil Awards for exports (1979 and 1982), Sir P. C. Ray Award for development of indigenous technology (1983) and a National Award from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for successful commercialization of publicly funded R & D was conferred on Dr. Hamied. In 2002, he received another Lifetime Achievement award from Express Pharma Pulse. Dr. Hamied was elected a Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge , UK in 2004.