The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Eli Lilly and Company (India) have jointly announced the launch of the ‘Bharat Life Sciences Awards’, a first-of-its-kind national institutional platform designed to recognise and celebrate excellence in life sciences research, capability, and public health impact across India. This initiative aligns with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision for a developed India, known as Viksit Bharat, and underscores the belief that sustained progress in health is driven by a sustained commitment to innovation.
Collaborative Framework and Support
The awards have been conceived in consultation with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP). Additional support comes from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and Invest India. This collaborative effort brings together a unique ecosystem of innovators, researchers, and institutions across the life sciences sector, creating a platform that is rigorous, independent, and enduring.
Inaugural Ceremony and Governance
The inaugural Bharat Life Sciences Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on 1st October 2026, marking a defining moment in recognising and celebrating India’s scientific excellence. The awards will be governed by an eminent Advisory Council and adjudicated by an independent jury of experts in life sciences, innovation, and public health. Grant Thornton Bharat will serve as the Process Advisor, reinforcing the platform’s commitment to transparency, credibility, and integrity at every stage.
Recognition Across the Value Chain
The awards seek to recognise contributions across the entire life sciences value chain, spanning academia, public research institutions, industry innovators, and ecosystem builders. These individuals and organisations work to bridge discovery and delivery, strengthen health systems, and advance public health outcomes at scale. The awards draw on India’s long-standing scientific legacy, rooted in a civilisational instinct for inquiry, seen in early centres of learning such as Takshashila and Nalanda, and in foundational contributions like the Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita, which shaped the practice of medicine. This legacy is not defined by singular breakthroughs or lone figures, but by an enduring continuum of inquiry, refinement, and application, reflected across generations of pioneering scientists whose contributions continue to underpin India’s present-day leadership in life sciences and its growing impact on global health.
Stakeholder Perspectives
Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director of BIRAC, said, “India's biotechnology ecosystem continues to advance through a strong focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and translational research, with increasing collaboration across academia, industry, and start-ups. Platforms such as the Bharat Life Sciences Awards can play a valuable role in bringing together stakeholders across this ecosystem, recognising excellence and supporting the translation of science into solutions for public health.”
Jyoti Vij, Director General of FICCI, said, “India’s life sciences sector stands at a defining moment, driven by scientific innovation, entrepreneurial energy, and stronger collaboration across academia, industry, startups, and government institutions. The Bharat Life Sciences Awards aim to create a credible and enduring national platform that recognises excellence across the ecosystem and celebrates the individuals and institutions advancing healthcare innovation and public health impact. Through this initiative, FICCI is proud to partner with stakeholders across the ecosystem to further strengthen India’s position as a global hub for life sciences research, innovation, and healthcare solutions.”
Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager of Eli Lilly and Company (India), said, “India’s life sciences ecosystem is reaching a new level of scientific maturity, with the talent, institutions, and ambition to contribute meaningfully to global health. As Lilly marks 150 years globally in 2026, we remain guided by our purpose of uniting caring with discovery to improve health for people around the world. We are proud to support the Bharat Life Sciences Awards as an enabling partner—recognising the science and the broader ecosystem of researchers, institutions, and innovators advancing it, and their collective role in driving meaningful and enduring public health impact in India.”
Future Outlook
India’s life sciences ecosystem is entering a new phase of scientific maturity—moving from manufacturing to discovery, from implementation to invention. The Bharat Life Sciences Awards situate today’s scientists within that continuum, honouring not only what has been achieved so far, but the people, teams, and institutions shaping what comes next, in India and globally. The platform is built to endure—to grow in stature cycle after cycle, surface under-recognised excellence, and strengthen India’s contribution to science for local and global good.
About FICCI
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), established in 1927, is the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India. Its history is closely interwoven with India's struggle for independence, its industrialization, and its emergence as one of the most rapidly growing global economies. A non-government, not-for-profit organisation, FICCI is the voice of India's business and industry. From influencing policy to encouraging debate, engaging with policy makers and civil society, FICCI articulates the views and concerns of industry. It serves its members from the Indian private and public corporate sectors and multinational companies, drawing its strength from diverse regional chambers of commerce and industry across states, reaching out to over 2,50,000 companies. FICCI provides a platform for networking and consensus building within and across sectors and is the first port of call for Indian industry, policy makers and the international business community.
About Lilly
Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. The company has been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today its medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, Lilly’s scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, Lilly is motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure its medicines are accessible and affordable.
