Prof. Harkishan Singh—a distinguished medicinal chemist and India’s well-known science historian with specialisation in pharmaceutical history, draws from his earlier monographic publications and presents in this book an updated and detailed account of India’s pharmaceutical history covering the period of last about 400 year. Singh provides in this book an authentic and candid account of the pharmacies of the British period, the colonial overseas drug trade, and the pharmacopoeias of the colonial times. His book also describes about the contemporary drugs and pharmacy statutes, and the various health and drugs related committees and commissions established by the British. Not only that, the book covers all the relevant developments related to pharmaceutical research, education, manufacturing and retailing in Independent India and the current status of India’s pharmaceutical industry.

Having taught at various universities in India, UK, and USA, Prof. Harkishan Singh is Professor Emeritus at the Punjab University, Chandigarh, India.