Chandru Shahani: A man who won against all odds


Chandru Shahani

My first glimpse of Chandru Shahani was at a symposiaum on bio-contamination, organised by Klenzaids in Chennai. Though cancer had taken a toll on his health, the Klenzaids founder and entrepreneur attended the event on a wheelchair. Demonstrating his ‘never-say-die spirit’ which regular chemotherapy sessions had failed to dampen, he was instructing his colleagues to ensure the success of the event. “Only innovation can make India get noticed on the global platform,” he had told me then. A few minutes later, the Chief Guest of the event, India’s former President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, praised Shahani for the same ‘innovative attitude’.

As Shahani’s 17 year long battle with cancer came to an end on September 25, the world lost an authority on designing microenvironment cleanrooms and containment systems. But more than that, we lost a creative genius and a great entrepreneur who will be remembered and revered by the global scientific and business community alike. Shahani’s rise from a poverty-stricken partition-time refugee to a personality of national and international repute is a story that tells of his grit, determination and talent.

Shahani started Klenzaids where he pioneered methodologies based on his inventions. Many among those were related to aseptic technologies and bio-decontamination. He introduced sub-micronic filters and unidirectional laminar flow devices for semiconductor and microelectronics development and satellite integration. In parallel, he investigated the phenomena of ‘chance positives’ that led to random batch failures of injectibles. The seventies saw a renaissance in the Indian pharma industry despite the international technology apartheid stemming from Pokhran I. One of the key contributors to this upsurge was Klenzaids and the refugee behind it. Shahani was inspired by some extraordinary ideas that made him transcend all limitations to achieve success.

While caring for the world he always made himself available to his family. “Aside from being a loving father to both his children, he was an incredible grandfather to his four grandchildren. Everything that he did for society was in the name of his four grandchildren and he made them an integral part of such endeavors,” reveals an emotional Monisha Narke, Shahani’s daughter. “He was also a father to the 400 people that worked in Klenzaids and their families. Several children in various villages and schools also considered him to be a father figure,” says Hamish, Shahani’s son.

Shahani’s dream was to see India as a self sufficient producer of pharmaceutical raw materials and medicines and he lived to see this coming true. He also dreamt of a strong India with a comprehensive space programme. Shahani was the ultimate organiser, meticulous to every detail. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he took it upon himself to focus on the long term management strategy of Klenzaids which has always been a professionally run company.

‘Vision to Mission’ is an anthology of views about the former President APJ Abdul Kalam, where as an editor, Shahani writes, “This is the story of one man, who gives of himself freely, leads fearlessly and wisely walks his talk.” In my opinion, these words describe Shahani to the ‘T’ himself.

sachin.jagdale@expressindia.com

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