Indravadan Modi


Indravadan Ambalal Modi, popularly known as Indravadan Modi was an Indian Pharmaceuticals industry tycoon who founded Cadila Pharmaceuticals in Ahmedabad.
Born in a tribal village in Gujarat's Bharuch district, Indravadan Modi graduated in Bachelor of Science, Baroda College, in year 1948. Indravadan Modi co-founded Cadila Laboratories in 1951 along with his childhood friend Raman Patel to offer cheaper drugs in India, a country which was into mostly importing medicines. However in year the 1995, both decided to split the company into two for the second generation to take over, while Raman Patel formed Cadila Healthcare, Modi named his company Cadila Pharmaceuticals.

Early Life

Indravadan Modi was born in Hansot, Bharuch. He lost his mother while he was very young and was brought up by his grandmother. He graduated in Bachelor of Science, Baroda College in 1948 and came down to Bombay for higher studies. In Bombay University, he studied Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals. He then did a brief stint as a chief chemist in a chemical manufacturing unit before quitting to start his own venture.

Founding of Cadila Laboratories

Post independence, India was dominated by multinational drug making companies. There were few Indian drug manufacturing facilities in the market. Indravadan Modi, in 1952, quit his job and established Cadila Laboratories with his close friend, Ramanbhai Patel, a pharmacy professor. They pooled in their resources to start making vitamins to treat Anemia, a disease prevalent in India at that time. In the early days, Indravadan's wife and grandmother helped out in the company. He would take out Rs. 250 for his monthly expenses and would invest the rest into the business. Cadila started developing innovative products such as Livirubra and Cadila Gripe and formulations such as Isopar for treatment of TB. The company focused on providing innovative products every two years. In 1967, Cadila set up its first factory. In 1970, R&D activities started happening in the company.

Cadila's First Employee

While Indravadan Modi was one of the founder of the company, his wife, Shilaben Modi was the first employee of Cadila Laboratories. She would wash and label the product herself from a 3 room apartment in Azad Society that was taken on rent for Cadila Laboratories. She inspired her husband to enter into the business of Gripe Water, the first indigenous Gripe Water made in the country.

Cadila Pharmaceuticals and Cadila Healthcare

In the year 1995, Cadila Laboratories split up into Cadila Pharmaceuticals and Cadila Healthcare. Indravadan Modi, owner of Cadila Pharmaceuticals, brought in his son, Rajiv Modi to take care of the business.

Philanthropy

In the year 1943, Mr. Modi's cousin died due to severe illness at the age of 18, due to lack of proper healthcare. Using this as an inspiration, he set up a Kakaba and Kala-Budh Public Charitable Trust under the Bombay Public Charitable Trust Act. Under this, he set up a 30 bed hospital in the village of Hansot to provide modern healthcare facilities to those who cannot afford it at one-third of the original rates.
The trust also aids and Gujarat Government's rural development programs.

Distinguished Positions

In his last days, Indravadan Modi developed a lung disease which started deteriorating and was put on the ventilator for the last 9 days. On November 26, 2012, Indravadan Modi succumbed to the infection. He was cremated in Cadila's campus of Dholka, near Ahmedabad.