Lupin’s DBG: Visionary with a goal to make quality affordable medicines

DBG is how Desh Bandhu Gupta, the Founder-Chairman of drugmaker Lupin is popularly known in the pharmaceutical industry.

An industry doyen who built the company that provided tuberculosis drugs among several other affordable medicines to the country, DBG passed away early Monday morning in Mumbai.

But the company he built is in safe hands, with his gen-next Nilesh Gupta and sister Vinita Gupta being in the driver’s seat. Nilesh was appointed Lupin’s Managing Director and Vinita as Chief Executive Officer in 2013. And since then, the company has taken some high profile steps in the global markets including a $880-million acquisition of New Jersey firm Gavis in 2015.

In fact, just days before Nilesh had taken charge as MD he had told

BusinessLine that the targets had always been big, coming from DB Gupta to the rest of the company. “That’s why Lupin has reached where it is, by setting those big audacious goals to work towards – whether it is in India, the US or anywhere else,” he had said of the guidance from his father.

DBG (79) will be remembered as a nationalist laying the foundation to create what is today a ₹17,119-crore global pharmaceutical major with a presence in over 100 countries.

In his letter to shareholders in Lupin’s recent annual report, DBG said, “When I founded Lupin over 48 years ago, the goal was simple; to manufacture and deliver quality, affordable medicines of the highest national and social priority. It has been the core principle and guiding philosophy behind everything we have undertaken and achieved over now close to five decades.”

Born in Rajgarh, Rajasthan, DBG had a Master of Science Degree (Chemistry) and a vision to fight life threatening diseases of highest national priority by delivering good quality medicines at an affordable price, a note from Lupin said. It was with this objective that he had moved to Mumbai and founded Lupin in 1968.

A believer in holistic development, DBG was behind the setting up of the Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation in 1988 to target poverty by encouraging sustainable development at the grass root level in rural India. His efforts have positively impacted 2.8 million families in 3,463 villages across India, the company said.

Vinita and Nilesh said in a statement, “What DBG put in motion 50 years ago in helping to create, innovate and lead in the pharmaceutical space is an unparalleled legacy. Those who knew and worked with DBG, remember him giving generously and fostering a dynamic environment where people could learn and grow. We will continue to build on his legacy and live by the values he instilled.”