Our Leadership
A Future-Ready Leadership of Vision & Resolve
Granules India is led by a team of seasoned professionals of the pharmaceutical industry. Each leader brings in-depth expertise and a modern outlook to tackle the challenges of today’s dynamic business. Collectively, the Granules leadership chalks out strategies that helps in building organisational capability while delivering sustainable growth.
Dr. Krishna Prasad Chigurupati
CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR
Dr. Krishna Prasad Chigurupati is the Promoter of Granules and has more than three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. In 1984, he set up a paracetamol manufacturing facility, which has become one of the world’s reputed manufacturers of paracetamol in the regulated markets. Dr. Prasad pioneered and popularised the concept of Pharmaceutical Formulations Intermediates (PFIs) as a cost-efficient product for global formulations manufacturers.
Dr. K.V.S. Ram Rao
JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Dr. K.V.S. Ram Rao holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Osmania University, Hyderabad and Masters& Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Dr. Rao has over 29 years of experience in the field of Manufacturing, R&D, Business Development and Customer Service Management. Prior to Granules, Dr. Rao worked as the Executive Director & CEO for CSM Business of PI Industries Limited. He played significant role in Dr. Reddy’s while working in various capacities from 2000 to 2018. He also worked with Jubilant Life Sciences and Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd.
Dr. Rao is well known for making high stake business decisions and overcoming complex challenges and is expert at articulating and implementing change while gaining consensus from people with differing agenda. He established innovative business models with eminent team dynamics and instituted good manufacturing and R&D systems. He also built best in class practices in environment, health & safety and nurtured excellent diversity & inclusivity policies. He has strong market knowledge, financial/analytical skills, customer-oriented approach, industry network at multiple levels, well-grounded principles of governance & ethics.
Mr. Arun Rao Akinepally
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Mr. Akinepally Arun Rao did his B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from the University of Madras and M.S from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, USA. He is the Managing Director of Akin Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., a formulation manufacturing Company. Mr. Arun Rao is also on the Boards of ESPI Industries and Chemicals Pvt. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of antacids in India and Sanzyme Pvt Ltd a globally known manufacturer of Probiotics. Mr. Arun Rao was an office bearer of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association both at the Central and State level.
Mr. Harsha Chigurupati
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. Harsha Chigurupatiholds a Bachelor’s degree of science in business administration from Boston University, USA.He has over 15 years of entrepreneurial experience in marketing, businessdevelopment, customer relationship management etc. He also has in-depth knowledge and experience in various fields of research and development, clinical trials, regulatory and legal framework navigation, patents and peer review journal publications etc.
Mr. Chigurupati has been with Granules since 2005 in various capacities.He was instrumental in commercializing the Company’s Finished Dosage Division and transitioning the Company’s customer base towards brand owners. As an Executive Director, he is responsible for the standalone operationsand P&L of the Company. He holds patents in over 55 countries and has been published in a variety of esteemed peer reviewed journals. He is the creator of a new category of better for you alcoholic beverages referred to as “Functional Spirits”.
Mrs. Uma Devi Chigurupati
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mrs. Uma Devi Chigurupati has rich experience of more than three decades in various fields. She along with Dr. Krishna Prasad Chigurupati had co-founded Triton Laboratories Private Limited in the year 1984, which was later amalgamated with Granules India Limited. Presently, she is spear heading CSR activities and HR initiatives. In addition, Mrs. Chigurupati is the Director of KRSMA Estates Private Limited, one of India’s premier boutique wineries.Mrs. Chigurupati has a post-graduate degree in Botany (soil microbiology) from Nagarjuna University.
Mr. K. B. Sankar Rao
NON-EXECUTIVE, NON-INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Mr. K. B. Sankar Rao is a post graduate from Andhra University and has rich experience of more than three decades in various domains. Mr. K. B. Sankar Rao was associated with various reputed organizations like Warner Hindustan, Cipla Limited and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited. He has varied experience in the fields of technical operations, quality, supply chain, development & launch of APIs and finished dosages for global markets and business strategy.
Mr. Arun Sawhney
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Mr. Arun Sawhney holds Bachelor Degree in commerce from the University of Mumbai and Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IMI. Mr. Sawhney has almost four decades of experience in diverse industries including Software, Rubber, Chemicals, Generic & OTC Pharmaceuticals, where he established new norms of business as well as repeatedly challenged the status quo. In the last position as CEO and Managing Director of Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, Mr. Sawhney successfully led one of the largest mergers in Indian Corporate history. In the past he was also associated with Max-Gb Limited and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd in various capacities. Mr. Sawhney was also a founder member of Indian Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) and was Chairman of Pharmaceutical Committee of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) during the period 2012-2014. Besides being a Board Member of Granules India Limited, Mr. Sawhney is currently engaged with leading companies in India and Europe in advisory capacity. He is a practicing Executive Coach engaged with executives at CXO levels in India as well as Europe. Mr.Sawhney is also a visiting faculty at IIM-Lucknow for subjects of Leadership & Organisation Behaviour.
Mr. Robert George Cunard
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Mr. Robert George Cunard holds Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Business Economics. Mr. Cunard brings more than 30 years of experience in US pharmaceuticals from the perspectives of wholesaler, retailer, and manufacturer. Mr. Cunard is currently an Operating Partner, with HealthEdge Investment Partners, a US healthcare focused private equity fund. Prior to HealthEdge, Mr. Cunard was CEO of Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc., the subsidiary of Aurobindo Pharma Limited. In the past, Mr. Cunard also held important positions in Mylan Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Dr.Saumen Chakraborty
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Saumen has over 37 years of experience in the field of both strategic and operational aspects of management. He is the founder and Managing Director of Samarjita Management Consultancy Private Limited. He had played a significant role in the evolution of Dr. Reddy´s as a Global Pharmaceutical Company from India while working as CXO over 2 decades in multiple areas ranging from global finance, legal & compliance, digital & process excellence, global HR, global quality, corporate & global generics operations. He also worked at CMC, C-DOT, Eicher and Tecumseh, prior joining Dr. Reddy’s.
Saumen is a Graduate in Physics, Postgraduate in Management from Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, and is an Executive Fellow in Management from Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad. He has been a speaker in multiple global and national conferences, and academic institutes. He serves as an Independent Director, for Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Limited.
Mrs. Sucharita Rao Palepu
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Sucharita Rao Palepu is a Chartered Accountant and has over 30 years of professional experience in Information Technology and Financial Services Industries. She is currently an Independent Advisor, specializing in Organization & HR Transformation.She was earlier in HR Leadership positions at Tech Mahindra, Infosys and Mahindra Satyam and was also associated with SMIFS Capital Markets & Pennar Paterson Securities. Over her career in HR, she has led several transformation programs and large-scaleinitiatives that have been recognised across various platforms. She is actively involved in a few NGOs and is also a certified coach. She was awarded the Exemplary Woman in Leadership Award (APAC) in HR Branding Awards 2015-16.
Ms. Jyothi Prasad
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Ms. Jyothi Prasad is an independent consultant in the area of financial advisory services including Mergers & Acquisitions and fund raising. Her primary experience is in the areas of fund raising such as IPOs and Rights Issues, private equity, M&A and advisory transactions for both Indian & foreign corporates.
She holds a Law degree from the University of Mumbai, Master of Commerce degree from the University of Madras & Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM-Ahmedabad. She was a Chevening Gurukul Scholar at the London School of Economics in 2000. She has more than 30 years of experience in investment banking/corporate finance in companies like SBI Capital Markets, Peregrine Capital, NM Rothschild (India) and American Orient Capital Markets.
Ms. Priyanka Chigurupati
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GRANULES PHARMACEUTICALS INC. & GRANULES USA
Ms. Priyanka Chigurupati is the Executive Director of Granules Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and responsible for the US Generics business and Investor Relations. Ms. Chigurupati has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Case Western Reserve University(US). Within Granules, she has had a variety of roles across several divisions in the US and in India within R&D, Commercial Operations and Investor Relations.
Manikandan Ramalingam
Senior Vice President & Head Formulation R&D
Mr. ManiKandan Ramalingam is pharmaceutical technologist with 22 years of experience and holds M. Pharma Tech from NIPER (Mohali) and Master black belt in six sigma. In his experience, worked in providing technical, strategic, and functional leadership in uniquely challenging positions in Pharmaceutical Research. Worked at Sun Pharma and Dr. Reddy’s prior to joining Granules; and served as functional head of Product development Research and subject matter expert for formulation at Dr.Reddys. Has expertise in, API Assessment for FD design & API – FD integration, Pre-formulation, Formulation design. (Different type of dosage forms), Biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics, New Technology adoption and Product Scale up and manufacturing. Also served in leading cross functional research team, change management, Training and team building, Regulatory risk management, product selection assessment, Contract research management, thereby ensuring successful translation of products from Ideation to the Market.
G. N. Prashanth
Senior Vice President & Head Corporate Quality
Mr.G.N.Prashanth is a postgraduate in pharmacy from Bangalore University and holds a graduate certification from IIMB. He has more than 29 years of experience and has worked in companies like Cipla, Astra Zeneca, Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, Neopharma, Kemwell, Microlabs, and Strides. He has experience in various functions like Quality Control, Analytical Development, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, and Project Management. He has joined us in Oct 2019 as Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Quality.
Mr Sanjay Kumar
Senior Vice President – Corporate Strategy & Planning
Sanjay is a B.Tech from IIT Kanpur and holds an MBA from IIM Bangalore. He is qualified CFA and done courses in Business Analytics and Corporate Business Strategy.
Sanjay has over 20 years of experience in Corporate Strategy, Budgeting & Planning process, Performance management, Capital Projects Evaluations, Business case and Financial Modelling. He has worked closely with senior leadership teams in various Organizations to enable decision making and execution of key programs.
In Granules, Sanjay will focus on Corporate Strategy Planning, Growth Levers identification, Due Diligence of New Business and Ventures opportunities, and Annual Business Planning & Review. He was earlier associated with organizations such as Viatris (formerly Mylan), Granules India, Wanbury, Indian Engineering Services (Civil Services).
Dr. TVSK Vittal
Senior Vice President & Head – API R&D
Dr. Vittal has an MSc from University of Hyderabad and a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the Osmania University, Hyderabad. He has also done his four years Post-Doctoral at IICT, Hyderabad.
He has over 30 years of experience in Academics and Pharmaceutical Industry in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Process Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry. He has expertise in Generics API Development as well as NCE/Chemical Development for CRAMS/ CDMO business. He has filed more than 40 US DMFs and has various Publications and patents to his credit. Dr. Vittal has earlier worked with organizations such as Solara, Strides Shasun, Aurobindo, Sai Life & Dr. Reddy’s.
Mr. Atul Dhavle
CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER AND HEAD OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Mr. Atul Dhavle Production Engineer from Nagpur University and holds PGCBM from XLRI.He has more than 25 years of versatile experience in Human Resources and Operational Excellence while working in companies like Dr.Reddy’s, Welspun, DuPont and Mahindra. He handled various strategic assignments in the area of Talent Management, Organisation Design & Change Management, Lean Transformation, Theory of Constraints, Technical Academy and Wholesome Employee Engagement (SMT way) while working in Manufacturing, Product Development, Sales & Marketing and Corporate Centre.
Mr. GSR Prasad
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Mr. GSR Prasad is M.S in Pharmaceutical Sciences from BITS Pilani and has more than 30 years of rich experience in Pharmaceutical Operations including Manufacturing, Quality, Technical Services, Process Validations, Supply Chain Management, Greenfield and Brownfield Projects. During his operational roles he has established manufacturing facilities with focus on process automation, operational excellence, built in quality, productivity and safety. He has successfully led many regulatory audits such as USFDA, TGA, EU, Health Canada etc. Mr. GSR Prasad has earlier worked with reputed Pharmaceutical organizations across the globe such as AstraZeneca, Themis, Sangfroid, Pharmeng (based at Novartis), Biovail Corporation (now Bausch Health), and Novast Laboratories in India, Canada, USA and China.
Mr. Sandip Neogi
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Mr. Sandip Neogi is a Chartered Accountant and Cost Accountant. He comes with a rich experience of over 28 years in Strategic Financial Planning and Analysis, Business valuations, Risk Management, SEC Expertise, Mergers and Acquisitions, Treasury, USGAAP,IFRS, Indian GAAP and Internal controls. He had earlier worked with reputed organizations such as Nissan Automobiles, Hospira Healthcare, Dr Reddy’s, CA-TCG Software, Tata Korf and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
