A world-class life science cluster in the outskirts of Hyderabad, the Genome Valley, is the root base where 4 out of 6 homegrown vaccines have been developed. So, naturally, when the world was hit by the Covid 19 and was in dire need of a vaccine that might protect the people from it, the attention went to Genome valley.
The valley proudly stood up to our hopes when it developed the ‘Covaxin’ of Bharat Biotech, which not only provided relief to the citizens of India but also helped people worldwide. Genome valley has about a third of the world’s vaccine manufacturing capacity and is bound to play a major role in the months to come to control the pandemic. No wonder, the Russian agency wanting to mass-produce Sputnik V vaccine was looking for collaborations here.
Today, Genome Valley is emerging as the Biotech hub of India. How did it reach where it is, today? Talking exclusively with Indian Masterminds, IAS officer, Mr. BP Acharya, Special Chief Secretary to Government of Telangana, GAD & Director General, Dr. MCR HRD Institute of Telangana took us on a ride into the valley and its development.
FROM WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
The story of the Genome Valley begins two decades ago in a sleepy village of Shameerpet Mandal called Turkapally, about 30 km from Hyderabad. An intrepid NRI scientist, Dr. Krishna Ella returned to India to set up his biotech industry (Bharat Biotech) in 1996 in the village. Little did he realize then that his would be the anchor industry in the global biotech hub!
It was at this momentous cusp of time, when Mr. Acharya entered the scene, in March 2000 to take over as Secretary, Industries, and Commerce, literally taking responsibility for the Genome valley and biotech baby into his hands.
“I was tentatively diffident, to begin with, but, as is my won’t, wanted to give it my best shot. Meanwhile, the ICICI Knowledge Park, the first R&D Park of the country, had come up in May 2000, near Bharat Biotech, and about 150 acres of Government land was earmarked next to it to develop as Biotech Park on the new-fangled Public- Private Partnership mode,” said Mr. Acharya.
BUILDING THE VALLEY BRICK BY BRICK
With all carefully chosen elements in place, Genome Valley was like a big jigsaw puzzle waiting to be solved. The officer could see great potential in the valley and knew that irrespective of the time it takes, the valley would go onto become the biggest scientific hub that India will ever see.
For the next 4-5 years, the team worked assiduously as men and women possessed to build up the cluster bit by bit and brick by brick. The first task was to get the biotech policy of the State finalized which was done by settling a document called “Beyond Tomorrow” that provided the basis to attract investments to the State in this sector, thereby sowing the seeds of the Genome Valley.
Said Mr. Acharya, “We had stiff competition from Karnataka with a very proactive Vision group and had to aggressively market Genome Valley in India and abroad, especially in events such as the annual meet of BIO. 2001 was my first BIO in San Diego, where I presented on the Genome Valley in the curtain-raiser Bio-parks event, encouraged by friends who later became a supporter of Genome Valley, and invested in Hyderabad.”
THE NEXT STEP
By 2002, the first of the allottees in Biotech Park started their manufacturing units but there were issues like water supply, pollution control, fire station, cafeteria, housing, etc. that had to be addressed. The whole area was declared as a pollution-free zone to make it suitable for the Life science sector.
“Fortunately, my brief stint as MD, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board in 2004-05 helped to complete the project by drawing water from a distance of about 20 kilometers, and a felt need of the cluster was met, paving the way for its growth and expansion in the years to come,” says Mr. Acharya.
FINAL EMERGENCE OF THE GENOME VALLEY
Soon, the area allotted for Biotech Park was fully occupied and expanded. In Phase 2, a major vaccine manufacturing facility was set up by Biological E, which is now collaborating with Johnson&Johnson for their Covid vaccine. In Phase 3, Indian Immunological has also set up a major vaccine manufacturing unit and is also involved with another Covid vaccine candidate.
“For those of us, who were involved, since its very inception, it is indeed a proud moment to see it in the forefront of the battle against the pandemic. The story of the Genome Valley is also an example of building a viable ecosystem for a successful industrial cluster by carefully planning and implementing each of the elements essential for its growth and carefully placing bits and pieces of this big jigsaw puzzle together. All in all, it was indeed a labor of love for yours truly!” stated Mr. Acharya.
Over the last two decades, we have seen how the Genome valley has emerged as a truly global life sciences hub, the only one of its kind in India. Today, it houses over 300 companies, including major international players, and provides employment to over 20,000 people, directly or indirectly. Mr. Acharya retired on 31st October, but his work will garner him accolades, throughout his life.
