‘The faculty helped me set up my pharma start-up’

He hails from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh but the family moved to Delhi 20 years back so he calls himself a Delhiite. After passing out from class XII, this Science (medical) student, of Anglo Arabic Senior Secondary School near New Delhi Railway station, aspired to be a doctor and even sat for the NEET exam. But unfortunately, he didn’t get the required numbers to pursue medicine.

“When I didn’t clear the NEET exam I was a bit disappointed. I took up the Science stream because I wanted to study medicine. When that didn’t happen I thought hard and fast and decided to pursue pharmacy,” Ahsanullah said, who today has a start-up Pharmacy outlet.

Excerpts from an interview.

How and why did you choose Apeejay Stya University (ASU)?

When I didn’t clear the NEET exam I was disappointed. I had wanted to be a doctor for the longest time. But probably, destiny had other things in mind for me. That is when I started looking for colleges where I could pursue Pharmacy and came across a diploma course at ASU in Pharmacy.

I looked at institutes like GD Goenka and KR Mangalam. I went to the ASU campus as well. What attracted me to ASU was the clarity that its faculty had. Manoj sir and Rani ma’am, who later taught me as well explained everything so clearly that I was floored. Nowhere I had gone were things explained in so much detail. I saw the lab facility as well and was impressed.

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What attracted me to ASU was the clarity that its faculty had. Manoj sir and Rani ma’am, who later taught me as well explained everything so clearly that I was floored

–Ahsanullah, Owner of Start-up Quad Pharmacy

Was the admission process tough?

Not at all. Just the opposite. I had to submit the necessary papers and fill out the form. The good part was that I had the paperwork with me; it was smooth sailing.

Can you share some anecdotes from your college days?

I had a lot of fun outside of academics. During classes too, we had plenty of laughs. The faculty made sure that there was never a dull moment even when they were teaching theory. The practical classes were a riot. Rani ma’am used to take that class and Naveen sir was the lab assistant. As students, everything is new for us and we made so many mistakes. There were times when we ended up burning up a lot of things. But everyone was so patient.

Why did you decide to venture out on your own?

I passed out of ASU in 2019 after completing the two-year diploma programme. I even applied for a graduate degree at PDM University, Bahadurgarh but then the lockdown due to COVID-19 happened. The classes shifted online. I did this for some time but I was bored sitting at home. So I decided to work as well. I wanted to have practical experience. My friends helped me get a job at Apollo Pharmacy. It was a great learning experience. Whatever I had learnt at ASU, I used here. My job was to deal with clients and dispense medicines among other things. So in the next two-and-a-half years, I finished my degree and also gained experience.

It worked for me but then I wanted to pick up my education again. But my father prevailed upon me to start earning. That is when I decided to go on my own and opened Quad Pharmacy in a hospital — Shri Jeewan Hospital, Karol Bagh.

How does it feel to have your own business?

Having your business comes with a lot of responsibilities that are not there in a job where you go and work from 9 am to 5 pm. When you venture out on your own, there is so much work. You have to take inventory, and make sure everything is under control; you also have to deal with clients. It is no longer a 9 to 5 pm job. But it is very satisfying.

What are your plans for the future?

In a perfect world, I would love to open more such pharmacies in other hospitals as well. But there is no hard and fast rule. If I get space in the open market, I would love to open another retail outlet. I aim to have a chain of such pharmacies across Delhi-NCR.

What things should a person keep in mind while opening a pharmacy?

Be prepared for long waits and a lot of paperwork. Having a pharmacy involves so many clearances and a person must be prepared to fill out various forms and complete other formalities. But a business of your own with a future where you can expand your business leaves you elated. But the best thing was that the ASU faculty stepped in and helped me a lot. I didn’t even know B of business. They were the ones who guided me and kept me motivated. The role that ASU has played is something that I shall never forget.