‘My grandfather died due to unavailability of medicines on time. That day I decided to work in the pharma sector’

Alumnus of School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPS) at Apeejay Stya University (ASU), Gurugram, Shivam Sharma is a passionate medical professional, who wishes to bring a change in India’s healthcare facilities. This aspiration took birth at the age of five, when he lost his grandfather due to unavailability of medicines. At such a young age, Shivam had already identified the challenges in the pharma and healthcare sector. And so, currently, his focus is to work on projects that will provide medical or healthcare  facilities to any person at just 1 rupee.

When asked how he planned his career? He replied, “I have always been  interested in the healthcare sector since childhood, so I planned my education accordingly. I chose Biology in my +2.”  

As soon as he finished his 10+2, Shivam started searching for institutes that offer courses in the healthcare domain. “My uncle, who lives in Gurugram, told me about Apeejay Stya University. I immediately visited the university and met professors Dr.Manoj Kumar Sharma and Dr.Gufran Ajmal. Talking to them I made up my mind that I want to join this university as it has such highly-qualified professors. Apeejay also houses modern and technologically-advanced laboratories,” Shivam highlighted, who completed his Diploma in Pharmacy from SOPS. Presently, Shivam is working as a Procurement Manager in Tasker Global Pvt Ltd.  

Read edited excerpts of the interview:

Is this your first job? How did you prepare to crack the job interview?

Yes, this is my first job. I was hired to join as Pharmacy Manager, but  in just 3 months, I was promoted to Procurement Manager. It is the support and guidance from all my professors that helped me crack the job interview. In my free time, I used to go to my professors, such as Dr. Manoj, Dr Gufran, Dr Mukesh, Dr Rani Mansuri and Dr Lopamudra Roy, for discussions as well as asked them questions, and that helped me clear my doubts and understand each concept with clarity.  

Did you always plan to join the pharma sector? Why so? What inspired you to pick this career?

My grandfather had died due to unavailability of medicines on time. I saw this when I was 5 years old. That’s when I had decided that I wanted to build my career in the pharma field. It’s only because I want to see everyone healthy. 

What are the two most crucial learnings from Apeejay?

First, the origin and chemistry of drugs and the preparation of medicines. Action and uses of each drug and medicine, including physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology. Pharmacy practice, covering laws and standards, managing symptoms, promoting healthy lifestyles and advising on drug therapy and medicines use.

Second, I imbibed multiple skills such as presentation skill, personality development and time management, among others, which are helping me in my professional journey today.

How did faculty at Apeejay prepare you for your professional journey?

Apeejay’s faculty played a very important role in my profession. From day one, we were exposed to both the theoretical and practical aspects of pharmacology and the pharmacy sector. We understood the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology. We also learned how to map a medical store, how to arrange the products, alongwith learning where to keep the urgent medicines. Throughout our programme, whenever we had difficulty in any of the subjects, professors were available to solve our queries.

What is your future plan?

At the moment, I am working on an expansion plan of Tasker – India’s 1st Healthcare Mall. The idea is to open a healthcare service in every town across the country that would provide health care facilities to the poorest of the poor at just 1 rupee per day.