Supported
by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India,
the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance
Council, and Invest India
A
first-of-its-kind national platform honouring the people and institutions
shaping the next chapter of life sciences in India
New
Delhi, June 3, 2026 : In line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s
vision, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)
today announced the launch of the ‘Bharat Life Sciences Awards’, a
first-of-its-kind national institutional platform to recognise excellence in
life sciences research, capability, and public health impact in India, in
partnership with Eli Lilly and Company (India).
Conceived
as a rigorous, independent, and enduring platform, the awards are anchored in a
shared national vision for Viksit Bharat, recognising that sustained progress
in health is driven by a sustained commitment to innovation.
This
initiative convened in consultation with the Office of the Principal Scientific
Adviser to the Government of India and the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP),
with the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and Invest
India, will bring together a unique ecosystem of innovators, researchers, and institutions
across the life sciences sector.
The
inaugural Bharat Life Sciences Awards ceremony will be held on 1st October
2026, marking a defining moment in recognising and celebrating India’s
scientific excellence.
The
Bharat Life Sciences Awards will be governed by an eminent Advisory Council and
adjudicated by an independent jury of experts in life sciences, innovation, and
public health. Grant Thornton Bharat will serve as the Process Advisor,
reinforcing the platform’s commitment to transparency, credibility, and
integrity at every stage.
The
awards seek to recognise contributions across the life sciences value chain,
spanning academia, public research institutions, industry innovators, and
ecosystem builders whose work bridges discovery and delivery, strengthens
health systems, and advances public health outcomes at scale. In doing so, the
awards draw on India’s long-standing scientific legacy—rooted in a
civilisational instinct for inquiry, seen in early centres of learning such as
Takshashila and Nalanda, and in foundational contributions like the Sushruta
Samhita and Charaka Samhita, which shaped the practice of medicine. This legacy
is not defined by singular breakthroughs or lone figures, but by an enduring
continuum of inquiry, refinement, and application, reflected across generations
of pioneering scientists whose contributions continue to underpin India’s
present-day leadership in life sciences and its growing impact on global
health.
Dr.
Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance
Council (BIRAC) said, “India's biotechnology ecosystem continues to
advance through a strong focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and
translational research, with increasing collaboration across academia,
industry, and start-ups. Platforms such as the Bharat Life Sciences Awards can
play a valuable role in bringing together stakeholders across this ecosystem,
recognising excellence and supporting the translation of science into solutions
for public health.”
Jyoti
Vij, Director General, FICCI said, “India’s life
sciences sector stands at a defining moment, driven by scientific innovation,
entrepreneurial energy, and stronger collaboration across academia, industry,
startups, and government institutions. The Bharat Life Sciences Awards aim to
create a credible and enduring national platform that recognises excellence
across the ecosystem and celebrates the individuals and institutions advancing
healthcare innovation and public health impact. Through this initiative, FICCI
is proud to partner with stakeholders across the ecosystem to further
strengthen India’s position as a global hub for life sciences research,
innovation, and healthcare solutions.”
“India’s
life sciences ecosystem is reaching a new level of scientific maturity, with
the talent, institutions, and ambition to contribute meaningfully to global
health,” said Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager, Eli Lilly and
Company (India). “As Lilly marks 150 years globally in 2026, we remain
guided by our purpose of uniting caring with discovery to improve health for
people around the world. We are proud to support the Bharat Life Sciences
Awards as an enabling partner—recognising the science and the broader ecosystem
of researchers, institutions, and innovators advancing it, and their collective
role in driving meaningful and enduring public health impact in India.”
India’s
life sciences ecosystem is entering a new phase of scientific maturity—moving
from manufacturing to discovery, from implementation to invention. The Bharat
Life Sciences Awards situate today’s scientists within that continuum,
honouring not only what has been achieved so far, but the people, teams, and
institutions shaping what comes next, in India and globally. The platform is
built to endure—to grow in stature cycle after cycle, surface under-recognised
excellence, and strengthen India’s contribution to science for local and global
good.
About
FICCI
Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI): Established in 1927,
FICCI is the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India. Its
history is closely interwoven with India's struggle for independence, its
industrialization, and its emergence as one of the most rapidly growing global
economies. A non-government, not-for-profit organisation, FICCI is the voice of
India's business and industry. From influencing policy to encouraging debate,
engaging with policy makers and civil society, FICCI articulates the views and
concerns of industry. It serves its members from the Indian private and public corporate
sectors and multinational companies, drawing its strength from diverse regional
chambers of commerce and industry across states, reaching out to over 2,50,000
companies. FICCI provides a platform for networking and consensus building
within and across sectors and is the first port of call for Indian industry,
policy makers and the international business community.
About
Lilly
Lilly
is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've
been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our
medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the
power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are
urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most
significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and
curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against
Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating
immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers
into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're
motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That
includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of
our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To
learn more, visit Lilly.com/in, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.