India is considered a global pharmaceutical hub and exports several medicines across the world. The country has several pharma companies which produce different medicines. But do you know who founded the first pharma company in India? He is Prafulla Chandra Ray, an Indian chemist, educationist, historian, industrialist and philanthropist.
He was an Indian genius, who established India's first pharmaceutical company -- Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals -- in 1901. Prafulla also established the first modern Indian research school in chemistry and is regarded as the Father of Indian Chemistry.
Born in 1861 in Bengal Presidency in British India (now in Bangladesh), he trained at the University of Edinburgh. He was honoured by the British Government and received the title of Companion of the Indian Empire. Prafulla also wrote a book -- A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century.
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He was the third child and son of Harish Chandra Raychowdhury, a Kayastha zamindar. Prafulla passed the FA exam in 1881 and was admitted to the BA degree of the University of Calcutta as a chemistry student. In 1882, he moved to the UK at the age of 21 after winning a scholarship and enrolled as a BSc. student at the University of Edinburgh. He left his original degree in India. Prafulla was also awarded a DSc. in 1887.
The Royal Society of Chemistry honoured his life and work with the first ever Chemical Landmark Plaque outside Europe. Ray returned to Calcutta in 1888 and joined Presidency College as an assistant professor of Chemistry in 1889 and later at Calcutta University. Ray was an active supporter of the Swadeshi Movement of 1905. He remained a bachelor throughout his life and retired becoming professor emeritus in 1936 at the age of 75. He died on 16 June 1944 at the age of 82.
