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Modi, who was actively involved in the business till the end, was the brain behind drugs like Polycap to prevent heart diseases and Risorine for treating Tuberculosis, both touted as potential blockbusters by the industry.
In the early 2004 his company first tasted success with Rabeprazole (Intravenous form) for gastrointestinal bleeding.
Born in a tribal village in Gujarat's Bharuch district, Modi co-founded Cadila Laboratories in 1951 along with his childhood friend Raman Patel to offer cheaper drugs and change the dynamics of healthcare in the country that was mostly importing medicines. The two however, split in 1995. While Raman Patel formed Zydus Cadila, Modi named his company Cadila Pharmaceuticals.
Pharma veterans say, Modi was the producer, promoter, distributor and deliveryman -- all jobs rolled into one. He was also the manager, administrator and accountant of his business, helped by his grandmother and wife in packaging the products in his struggling days.
A paltry Rs 250 was his take-home after ploughing back the earnings into the business. The high-points in his six-decade long career came when he turned his company into a large anti-tuberculosis drug-maker in the country, second only to Mumbai-based Lupin Ltd; and Polycap, the combo-cardiac drug, received global acclaim with a mention in international journal Lancet.
The Cadila Pharma chairman is also credited with making contributions in the framing of Drug Policy in 1986 and the Indian Patent Act, 1970, two documents that helped transform the Indian drug industry.
However, back home, Modi was known for his zeal to celebrate life. "He was the first CEO in the city to own a Rolls-Royce Phantom and would go horse-riding every evening around the company's plush green campus at Dholka facility, 43 km from Ahmedabad," recollects an employee.
Even after turning 80, he would would get into his mountaineering boots to trek Kailash Mansarovar.and retreat to a solitary confinement of three weeks every year for meditation.
"The Indian pharmaceutical industry has lost one of its stalwarts with the passing away of Mr Modi. I was closely associated with him for many years and was fortunate to work with him during my initial years at the erstwhile Cadila Laboratories. With his passing away, I have lost a mentor," said Pankaj Patel, CMD Zydus Cadila.
"He was grounded and remained a very approachable person. He would frequent the office canteen and have his meals with the employees," recollects another employee. In 1985, Modi established Kaka-Ba hospital with ultramodern facilities to serve the needy poor patients.
Starting with two liquid preparations, - Livirubra and Cadila gripe -- Cadila initially produced and marketed formulations Including two novel products - "Isopar" for the treatment of Tuberculosis, and Neuroxin-12-Vitamins B1, B6 & B12 Injection made compatible in a vial for the first time.
Today, it caters to over 50 therapeutic areas. Cadila Pharma has recently ventured into setting up a Pharma SEZ near Ahmedabad, manufacturing vaccine using advance technologies of Virus Like Particles (VLP) and stemcell research.
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