Gaining Technical Know-How in an Unequal World: Penicillin Manufacture in Nehru's India

Tyabji, Nasir (2004): Gaining Technical Know-How in an Unequal World: Penicillin Manufacture in Nehru's India. Published in: Technology and Culture , Vol. 45, No. 2 (April 2004): pp. 331-349.

Abstract

The paper examines the rationale behind the Government of India's decision to initiate the manufacture of penicillin through collaboration with specialized agencies of the United Nations. Initially the expectation had been that collaboration was essential with one of the prominent transnational companies which had proprietory knowledge in penicillin manufacture. This preference for aligning with a proven manufacturer rather than taking the more entrepreneurial route of depending on the United Nations was favoured by the Committee established to oversee the penicillin project which was chaired by a prominent industrialist. Prime Minister Nehru's intervention tilted the balance in favour of the United Nation's agencies. Nehru's choice in the matter was based on the advantages to India which would accrue from association with the United Nations, in addition to his reluctance to allow India to enter into a subordinate position through collaboration with a foreign manufacturer in as sensitive an area as pharmaceuticals.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Penicillin; UNICEF; Hindustan Antibiotics; WHO;Jawaharlal Nehru; Public Sector; Santokh Singh Sokhey; Ernst Boris Chain; Edward Mellanby; Connaught Laboratories; Haffkine Institute; N. L. Macpherson;Podbielniak
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F5 - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy > F52 - National Security ; Economic Nationalism; F - International Economics > F5 - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy > F54 - Colonialism ; Imperialism ; Postcolonialism; F - International Economics > F5 - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy > F55 - International Institutional Arrangements; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I15 - Health and Economic Development; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I23 - Higher Education ; Research Institutions; L - Industrial Organization > L3 - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise > L32 - Public Enterprises ; Public-Private Enterprises; L - Industrial Organization > L5 - Regulation and Industrial Policy > L53 - Enterprise Policy; L - Industrial Organization > L6 - Industry Studies: Manufacturing > L65 - Chemicals ; Rubber ; Drugs ; Biotechnology; N - Economic History > N6 - Manufacturing and Construction > N65 - Asia including Middle East; N - Economic History > N7 - Transport, Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services > N75 - Asia including Middle East; N - Economic History > N8 - Micro-Business History > N85 - Asia including Middle East; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O2 - Development Planning and Policy > O25 - Industrial Policy; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O33 - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences ; Diffusion Processes

References

Archival material: All private papers consulted are available in the Archives of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. Except where expressly indicated otherwise, material refers to files containing Jawaharlal Nehru’s personal papers, post 1947 series, first instalment

Secondary sources:

Blackett, P.M.S. “Science and Technology in an Unequal World” in Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lectures 1967-1972 (Bombay, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan: 1973): 1-22

Nayar, Baldev Raj India’s Quest for Technological Independence Volume –I Policy Formulation and Policy Choice Volume –II The Results of Policy (New Delhi, Lancers International: 1983)

Nehru, Jawaharlal The Discovery of India (Calcutta, Signet Press: 1946)

Parliament of India, Estimates Committee Twenty Seventh Report 1955-56 Ministry of Production (The Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd. and The Hindustan Insecticides Ltd.) (New Delhi, 1956)

Parthasarathi, Ashok and Singh, Baldev Science in India: The First Ten Years, Occasional Papers in Perspectives in Indian Development, No. XXIV (New Delhi, Centre for Contemporary Studies, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, 1992) (mimeo)