UPSC recommends Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi as next DCGI

In a significant development, Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi (Secretary-cum-Scientific Director at Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission) has been recommended for the role of the next Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). The recommendation has been forwarded by The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to the government. 

The UPSC recommendation awaits approval by the Health Ministry, followed by approval of the Appointments Committee of Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If it goes through, Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi will succeed Dr V G Somani whose extended tenure ends mid-February. Dr Somani was appointed DCGI for a term of three years on August 14, 2019 and he took charge on August 16. His tenure was, since, extended on two occasions. 

The office of the DCGI helms the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) which is responsible for ensuring quality drugs supply across the country. It also carries the authority to give approvals to new drugs and regulating clinical trials.

"The Union Public Service Commission on the basis of assessment of bio-data of the eligible officers received...and after holding personal talks with them on January 27 recommend Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi for appointment to the post of Drug Controller (India) by short term contract basis", notes UPSC’s official communication to the Health Ministry.

Incidentally, Dr Somani, Dr Raghuvanshi and Dr Jai Prakash -  senior principal scientific officer at the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) – had featured on interviews hosted by the UPSC in the previous week.

A LOOK AT RAJEEV SINGH RAGHUVANSHI’ GRAPH OF EXCELLENCE 

Dr Raghuvanshi joined the IPC as secretary-cum-scientific director on February 16, 2021. He completed his Bachelors and Masters from IIT-BHU (formerly IT-BHU), Varanasi and PhD from the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi. After serving at the National Institute of Immunology for seven illustrious years, he joined leading Indian multinational pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. 12 eventful years on, he moved to Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, Hyderabad, where he sparkled in various capacities for 11 years.

Dr Raghuvanshi's expertise straddles dosage form design and development chiefly in the domain of pharmaceutical innovation. Over the years, he has been instrumental in building a wide gamut of products such as oral solids, oral liquids, topicals, injections, nasal sprays, auto-injectors, sublingual, mouth dissolve, extended release and delayed release for global markets. 

Dr Raghuvanshi – a recipient of ‘Dr Reddy's Excellence Award’ on two occasions - possesses 14 US patents along with over 250 published patent cooperation treaties and Indian patents. He has more than 25 publications in peer reviewed journals and has co-authored six chapters in books. The idea leader also has developed in excess of 200 products that are currently available in Indian, US, European and emerging markets. 

*This press release is published by VOH team.*