Inaugural Dr. Anji Reddy Memorial Lecture celebrates science, society, sustainability
Telugu Super News, India, March 16, 2023:Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited (‘Dr. Reddy’s’) today hosted the first ‘Dr. Anji Reddy Memorial Lecture’. The annual lecture series has been instituted by the company in memory of its founder, Dr. K. Anji Reddy on the tenth anniversary of his passing. With ‘Science, Society and Sustainability’ as its theme, the lecture series aims to celebrate his life and legacy.
The inaugural lecture event was attended by luminaries from the world of science.
The keynote address was presented by Dr. K. VijayRaghavan, Former Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, on the topic ‘The Brain in Health and Illness’. Prof VijayRaghavan deeply appreciated Dr. K. Anji Reddy’s work to bridge gaps between academia and industry. Such collaborations are essential for scientific discoveries to combat a range of issues including diseases associated with ageing, lifestyle, and infections. Prof. VijayRaghavan shared his research focused on organisation of nerve cells in the brain, mapping to diverse functions in the nervous system. In an evolutionary context, he highlighted the role of model organisms, technological advances, and computational tools in unravelling the complexity of living organisms, and contributing to next generation healthcare solutions.
The Memorial Lecture was delivered by Prof. Ada E. Yonath, Nobel Laureate (Chemistry, 2009), Weizmann Institute, Israel on the topic ‘From origin of life to future antibiotics and genetic diseases’. Prof. Yonath explained her 2009 Chemistry Nobel-winning work on the structure of ribosomes and the protoribosome concept, which may open new avenues in designing next-generation antibiotics and in tackling antibiotic resistance.
Other speakers included Dr. Swami Subramaniam (CEO, Ignite Life Science Foundation), G.V. Prasad (Co-Chairman & Managing Director, Dr. Reddy’s) and Satish Reddy (Chairman, Dr. Reddy’s). Distinguished guests present at the event included peers, friends and collaborators of Dr. Anji Reddy including Dr. A.V. Rama Rao (Chairman & Managing Director, Avra Laboratories), Dr. Gullapalli N Rao (Founder, L V Prasad Eye Institute), Dr. Guru N Reddy (Chairman & Managing Director, Continental Hospitals), Prof. Goverdhan Mehta (University of Hyderabad). The event was also attended by associates from Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited, Dr. Reddy’s Institute of Life Sciences, Dr. Reddy’s Foundation, the Naandi Foundation, the NICE Foundation, Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services Limited and Aurigene Oncology Limited.
A recording of the event is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w8jzfi6BXs
Dr. Swami Subramaniam, CEO, Ignite Life Science Foundation, said: “Dr. K. Anji Reddy was prescient in stating how important good science is for industry to deliver on innovation. His legacy is suitably honored and perpetuated by the current leadership at Dr. Reddy’s. Their commitment to the development of the science ecosystem in India by supporting Ignite is visionary and will bear fruit for India for decades to come.”
Satish Reddy, Chairman, Dr. Reddy’s, said: “It was humbling to witness the support at the inaugural Memorial Lecture today. The gathering represented Dr. Reddy’s commitment to both science as well as society – unmet needs in healthcare as well as unmet needs for social impact. We are very grateful to our distinguished speakers and guests for taking the time today to join us in remembering Dr. Reddy. Encouragement of scientific and social discussions such as this is possibly the most meaningful tribute to Dr. Anji Reddy.”
G.V. Prasad, Co-Chairman & Managing Director, Dr. Reddy’s, said: “Deep science was at the heart of Dr. Anji Reddy’s vision of affordable and accessible medicines. Today’s guests represent the very exciting scientific developments that continue to take place around the world. Nothing would have given Dr. Anji Reddy more joy than being among his fellow scientists and forging such connections between industry and academia. We hope to bring world-renowned scientists to India to inspire the scientific community every year on this day. In our own way through this event, we hope to support and encourage the pursuit of cutting-edge science and technology in the broader ecosystem as a tribute to Dr. Reddy.”