Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council

By Shri M.T. Karve, Member, Pharmacy Council of India
and Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council

The idea of felicitating pharmacists who have done meritorious work for and in the profession of Pharmacy was conceived as early as in 1990. It was thought, that as in respect of good work recognised
In other professions, the Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council to should felicitate the registered pharmacists who have rendered yeoman's service to the profession of Pharmacy. For one reason or other (the most important of them being the financial constraints), the idea could not be given a concrete shape till 1995.
With the introduction of the "Scheme of Non-refundable Deposit for renewal fees (popularly known as the N.R.D. Scheme), it has been possible for this Council to utilize some amounts for activities, other than the traditional activities of registration of pharmacists, their periodical renewal etc. The concept of felicitation could first be translated into reality in 1996, when the first Felicitation of Pharmacist (1996) Program was successfully organized at Nagpur.
As a prelude to such function, Council had to make lot of preparations like framing Rules for Selection of Pharmacists for Felicitation by giving them "Awards for their outstanding Work", calling nomination, examining them critically to ensure that only the deserving cases are selected for such felicitation. It has been decided that such Awards shall be principally given to the persons engaged in the following disciplines of Pharmacy -

Initially it was decided to give six (6) Awards covering Four Registered Pharmacists in Retail and /or Whole-sale Trade covering four regions viz. Mumbai Western Maharashtra, Vidharbha and Marathwada region, fifth for Hospital Pharmacists and the Sixth to a person for his extra-ordinary contribution in any field of Pharmacy. To encourage the younger generation, th Council also decided to felicitate 1st and 2nd Ranking Students of Main Diploma in Pharmacy Examination every year.
In the function that was held at Nagpur in September 1996, following Pharmacists/Students of Diploma in Pharmacy were felicitated by giving them, a memento, certificate or scroll of honour and a shawl.

Shri Vasantrao Sitaram Mohite, Kolhapur.
Shri Sorab Nariman Marolia, Jalna.
Dr. Sidheshwar Balkrishna Joshi, Nagpur.
Shri Vasant Ghanshamdas Houzwala, Aurangabad.
Shri Chandrashekhar Ramling Swamy, Mumbai.
Shri Arvind Krishnarao Deshpande, Amravati.
Shri Jagdish AmarlalHargunani, Nandura, (dist. Buldana)
Miss Rajashri Shrikant Yelegaonkar, Diploma Student 1st Rank 1995 examination.
Shri Pradeep Namichand Jain, Diploma Student 2nd Rank 1995 examination.

In the original Rules for Selection of Pharmacists for felicitation, only one representative of Hospital Pharmacists was to be selected. Considering, however, the dedicated services the Hospital Pharmacists are rendering to the profession and particularly patients belonging to the poor and down trodden category, who take resort to Government/Semi-government Hospitals for medical treatment, the Council thought it fit to select the Hospital Pharmacists regionwise i.e. one each under the Regional Deputy Director of Health Service. Thus as per amended rules, five hospital pharmacists can aspire to win the Merit Awards. The revised rules will be effective from 1998 felicitation. The nominations will be made by the Director of Health Services.

The Council hopes that the scheme of felicitation to meritorious pharmacists will encourage those in the profession and the Council will get opportunity to felicitate more and more persons in the years to come. After all, the day, on which the Society recognizes his devoted professional,

Felicitation of Pharmacists