Mumbai
MUMBAI – July 8, 2013 – Ranjit Shahani, vice chairman & managing director of Novartis India Ltd., has joined AmeriCares India’s Board of Trustees overseeing the foundation’s efforts to improve health care throughout India and the region.
AmeriCares India delivers emergency medical care for disaster survivors, operates a highly successful mobile clinic program in the slums of Mumbai and donates medical aid to more than 100 health care providers in 26 Indian states and union territories. Its emergency response team is currently working in Uttarakhand organizing medical camps for flood survivors.
The Board of Trustees oversees the foundation’s legal and fiduciary matters and advises leadership on programming and fundraising activities. Mr. Shahani joins an esteemed list of colleagues on the board including Mr. SK Mitra, CEO of QSK Advisory; Mr. Vikram Parekh, director of Parekh Integrated Services; and Mr. Samir Bhatia, a partner in the executive search firm Search and Inspire and a partner in Amadeus Advisors.
“My greatest reward is giving back to society, and I am honored to be working with such an amazing organization,” Mr. Shahani said. “Together we can help more people live longer, healthier lives.”
Mr. Shahani, who is responsible for the overall operations of the Novartis Group of Companies in India, is a thought leader in the pharmaceutical industry. He has been actively involved in lobbying for liberalization of pharmaceutical price controls and legislation to deter counterfeit drugs. He is the President of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, an association of pharmaceutical companies committed to meeting India’s health care needs by expanding access to care, research and innovation, policy discussions and knowledge sharing. He previously served as president of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry and as president of the Swiss Indian Chamber of Commerce.
“The guidance and direction that stems from Mr. Shahani’s deep understanding and connection to the business and professional community will be a great asset to us,” said Mr. Shripad Desai, Managing Director of AmeriCares India Foundation.
Mr. Shahani was born in Kanpur, India, and is married to Indu Shahani, a prominent educator and the former sheriff of Mumbai. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai.