Lucknow: On the 22nd death anniversary of ‘Pharmacy Ratna’ Late Ram Ujagir Pandey, pharmacists across Uttar Pradesh paid heartfelt tributes to the founder of the Diploma Pharmacist Association, vowing to carry forward his vision of a developed, patient-centric pharmacy system in India.
Pharmacist Federation President Sunil Yadav, addressing the occasion, reiterated the commitment to upgrade pharmaceutical services across the country. “We aim to provide patient-centered pharmaceutical care that not only aids treatment but also contributes to prevention and early diagnosis of diseases,” he stated. “Late Pandey Ji envisioned a developed pharmacy system in a developing India. It is our duty to realize that dream.”
Floral tributes were offered at various institutions including Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civil Hospital, where Pharmacy Officer-in-Charge Daya Shankar Pandey, Senior Pharmacist S.K. Tripathi, and fellow pharmacists, trainees, and medical officials paid homage to Pandey Ji’s portrait.
Sunil Yadav further credited Pandey for organizing and empowering pharmacists in Uttar Pradesh, stating that it was through his efforts that pharmacy education took root and transformed the profession. “The creation of posts ranging from Chief Pharmacist to Joint Director in the pharmacist cadre is a result of his sustained struggle,” he said.
Veteran leaders of the Federation including K.K. Sachan (Patron), Shashi Devi Sachan (District President), and G.C. Dubey (District Secretary) echoed the sentiment, recalling Pandey’s foundational role in unifying pharmacy students and forming a strong union to fight for their rights.
Others who paid tribute included Mritunjay Mishra (X-ray Technician Union), Rajendra Dubey and Rakesh Mishra (Class IV Employees Federation), Pradeep Dubey (Security Officer), Chief Pharmacist Anand Mishra, Mahendra Rawat, Shravan Chaudhary, O.P. Patel, and Salil Srivastava.
Federation General Secretary Ashok Kumar remembered Pandey not just as a leader but also as a strategist and a literary figure, while Vice President Subhash Srivastava emphasized the importance of compiling and preserving his letters, which he said have helped shape the association’s ideology.
From the broader government employee community, Suresh Rawat (President, Rajya Karmchari Sanyukt Parishad) and Atul Mishra (General Secretary) hailed Pandey as a symbol of struggle and integrity. Senior Vice President J.P. Nayak, Retired Wing President Jai Singh Sachan, General Secretary O.P. Singh, and Haridwari Lal Raj called upon all pharmacists to stay united and walk the path laid down by the late leader.
Across various districts in Uttar Pradesh, the day was marked with blood donation camps, seminars, fruit distribution drives, and other public welfare initiatives. The Youth Pharmacist Federation also organized tribute programs in multiple locations.
Late Ram Ujagir Pandey, a revered employee leader and pharmacist, passed away tragically in a road accident in Barabanki on July 6, 2003. Since then, his death anniversary is solemnly observed every year on this date across the state by pharmacists and healthcare workers as a day of remembrance and recommitment to his ideals.
The collective vow of pharmacists to strengthen healthcare through patient-first services stands as a living testament to Pandey’s enduring legacy.
