Cipla’s Yusuf Hamied, the First Indian to have a Cambridge building named after him
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London: The University of Cambridge has named an entire building after Yusuf Hamied, the Chairman of pharmaceutical giant Cipla and the first Indian to be named in the university's illustrious 800-year history.
Earlier, a chair in the Chemistry department had also been named after him, in recognition of his generous contributions to the development of the field. According to a report from Eastern Eye, the grand opening of Yusuf Hamied Court at Christ's College was led by Lord Simon McDonald, the College's Master. The event saw the presence of around 25 eminent scientists, predominantly chemistry professors.
Receiving the honour, he shared with the audience how he reached Cambridge back in 1954. He said it was his father’s inquiry about the minimum requirements for admission to Cambridge with Prof. Todd. The professor responded, "If we find the candidate suitable, we take him." Hamied's father expressed his desire for his son to study at Cambridge, and when Todd asked Hamied's age, he replied, "17, sir." After confirming that he would turn 18 in July 1954, Todd informed him that he would be admitted to Christ's College from October '54.
Hamied expressed his astonishment and gratitude while standing before the audience at his cherished college. He inaugurated the Yusuf Hamied Court, which is connected to the Todd building, emphasizing the enduring connection between education and benevolence.
The news of the Cambridge building being named after Hamied sparked immense joy among netizens. One user praised it as a fantastic and well-deserved recognition, commending Cambridge University for making it happen.
Another user simply expressed their agreement with the sentiment, stating, "Well deserved!" A third user highlighted the family's connections to Cambridge, mentioning that Hamied's family founded the Aligarh Muslim University in India, which drew inspiration from Oxford and Cambridge. Furthermore, Hamied's uncle and cousin also pursued studies at Cambridge in subsequent years.
It is important to note that under Hamied's leadership, Cipla has played a crucial role in saving the lives of millions of AIDS patients in Africa by providing affordable antiretroviral drugs. Additionally, the pharmaceutical company has made significant contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hamied did his PhD in Chemistry between 1954 and 1960 at Cambridge University. The alumnus’ Hamied Scholars Programme had provided funds to support and attract early-career researchers in the field of synthetic organic chemistry and doctoral students from the UK and different parts of the world, a PTI report said.