Kiran Kota
Quality Head
A seasoned industry Veteran Kiran Kota, Quality Head of SMS Pharmaceutical have 23 years of experience in delivering leadership and establishing quality standards in both QA & QC areas, Audit management, Technology transfer, Trend Analysis, Risk Management, Training and Development, and Team Management. Being an excellent Audit lead, Kiran successfully managed various regulatory audits like USFDA, EDQM, PMDA, COFEPRIS, TGA & WHO. The evolving market landscape demands the growth of the pharmaceutical sector by fulfilling industrial and regulatory requirements which Kiran impressively is handling by meeting all means of demands and standards.
We engaged in an exclusive interaction with this amazing leader to explore his latest endeavors on his responsibilities in enhancing the Quality System and maintaining and improving pharmaceutical sector according to the prevailing dynamics and challenges in the segment.
In Conversation with Kiran Kota, Quality Head of SMS Pharmaceutical.
How would you define SMS Pharmaceuticals as an organization and its current position in the market?
Pharmaceutical companies are known to be among the most profitable companies in the world. SMS Pharmaceutical is an integrated quality-conscious pharma company where we develop and manufacture pharmaceutical products providing world class facilities by meeting compliance.
What quality assurance process do you use while manufacturing a wide
range of pharmaceutical products that helps in attaining customer satisfaction?
As we are one of the quality conscious organization and coming from a company built on modern systems, meticulous processes, improvement initiatives, innovation, and people development, I primarily focus on the concept Quality Head which gives a major impact on Quality System, helps in maintaining and improving pharma industry by following the process called digitalization.
Could you elaborate about the technology framework built within the company to manufacture the products and which are the latest technology trends that the company is planning to adopt?
Pharmaceutical manufacturers are constantly competing with each other, not to be just on the top but are pressurized to adhere to stringent regulatory manufacturing requirements.
Addressing to these challenges our company implements a unique technology framework called digitalization where it introduces the Auto manufacturing processing which includes the implementation of PAT tools. With the help of atomization of the QA & QC processes, we can achieve the highest degree of confidence to the authorities to mark an exemplary footprint in the terms of Quality front with the cooperation from the management.
Tell us about your leadership approach, and the guidelines or methodologies you follow to lead your team?
I have gained a lot of substance from my earlier experiences. When I came to SMS Pharmaceutical, which is a very mature business, I realized that there is so much more I can do using all the experiences that I have gained in the past, thanks to several elite organizations I worked in before. Since we are in one of the prominent industries, I Personally believe Leadership is Ownership which is universally acceptable for serving the healthcare of the world. Personally I take ownership as a contribution, we are manufacturing products for serving our family(world) and when it comes to family we never compromise on quality. I would like to categorize my leadership style as collaborative as I thrive on teamwork and employee empowerment that leads to quicker decision-making, which ultimately leads to customer delight.
From carefully designing the assignments to designing the hands-on curriculum with a proper road map Quality which is developed with main motive in to make effective managers and leaders so that they can face any situation in routine with their proper skills. Our team is a mix of experience, knowledge, and youth. So i always try to motivate each and every individual in the team by making them accountable respectively, so that they can give clear and value addition contribution to their assigned roles. Hence, they can deliver the results effectively in terms of Quality on time with utmost Integrity.
As we are one of the quality conscious organization and coming from a company built on modern systems, meticulous processes, improvement initiatives, innovation, and people development, I primarily focus on the concept Quality Head which gives a major impact on Quality System, helps in maintaining and improving pharma industry by following the process called digitalization.
Could you elaborate about the technology framework built within the company to manufacture the products and which are the latest technology trends that the company is planning to adopt?
Pharmaceutical manufacturers are constantly competing with each other, not to be just on the top but are pressurized to adhere to stringent regulatory manufacturing requirements.
Addressing to these challenges our company implements a unique technology framework called digitalization where it introduces the Auto manufacturing processing which includes the implementation of PAT tools. With the help of atomization of the QA & QC processes, we can achieve the highest degree of confidence to the authorities to mark an exemplary footprint in the terms of Quality front with the cooperation from the management.
Tell us about your leadership approach, and the guidelines or methodologies you follow to lead your team?
I have gained a lot of substance from my earlier experiences. When I came to SMS Pharmaceutical, which is a very mature business, I realized that there is so much more I can do using all the experiences that I have gained in the past, thanks to several elite organizations I worked in before. Since we are in one of the prominent industries, I Personally believe Leadership is Ownership which is universally acceptable for serving the healthcare of the world. Personally I take ownership as a contribution, we are manufacturing products for serving our family(world) and when it comes to family we never compromise on quality. I would like to categorize my leadership style as collaborative as I thrive on teamwork and employee empowerment that leads to quicker decision-making, which ultimately leads to customer delight.
From carefully designing the assignments to designing the hands-on curriculum with a proper road map Quality which is developed with main motive in to make effective managers and leaders so that they can face any situation in routine with their proper skills. Our team is a mix of experience, knowledge, and youth. So i always try to motivate each and every individual in the team by making them accountable respectively, so that they can give clear and value addition contribution to their assigned roles. Hence, they can deliver the results effectively in terms of Quality on time with utmost Integrity.
Going forward, what are the opportunities you see yourself grasping to fulfill your main goal?
The Indian Pharmaceutical industry is on the threshold of becoming a major global market and has shown exponential growth, registering itself in a better position in the international pharmaceutical market. Considering this scenario, I am putting my points. Particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, Quality plays a major role and every one urge for that.
I specifically focus on this concept and try to make this happen with self-Integrity and as a leader, i make sure that each individual with whom I work in this Pharmaceutical Quality sector should follow this, so that will attain the sustainable Quality Culture. This is my mantra which gives me an immense satisfaction in my life as Quality Professional in this sacred Pharma Sector.
I would like to take this as an opportunity to highlight 'why most of the companies are fumbling during the Regulatory audits and eventually Industry is getting warning letters/are under official action' Below is my understanding in this regard
1)Wrong recruitment by the Companies and further some of the Quality leaders are recruiting their known interested people to establish their hold to have favorable environment in the Quality section. Indeed, different ideology will work as always that the Quality decisions should be questioned and evaluated in compliance perspective.
2)Second major reason is evaluation of the candidate during the interview at some companies are not based on role specific and cadre specific and more specifically recruiting a person with irrelevant experience.
3)Especially, the upcoming generations are looking on materialistic than emotional bonding (sincerity is lacking) towards the career and profession in other words like working for a company ritually than religiously.
For me some of my seniors in the industry (in different companies) are role models and real inspirational personalities by which i love on my role wherever I work and hold the responsibilities to make company win in all situations wherever I work in my career.
My sincere advice to the upcoming pharma generations that “Chose this Pharma field not for only earning the money rather to contribute to this sacred industry to serve the Nation in this health sector with Self-Integrity and later with Sincerity & Discipline and as a result one will achieve the Apex level to be part of history in this Pharma fraternity”.
Kiran Kota, Quality Head, SMS Pharmaceutical
I strongly say that SMS Pharmaceuticals as an organization is the place where one can prove their capabilities by meeting the Compliance and to get satisfied with our Quality Consciousness
The Indian Pharmaceutical industry is on the threshold of becoming a major global market and has shown exponential growth, registering itself in a better position in the international pharmaceutical market. Considering this scenario, I am putting my points. Particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, Quality plays a major role and every one urge for that.
I specifically focus on this concept and try to make this happen with self-Integrity and as a leader, i make sure that each individual with whom I work in this Pharmaceutical Quality sector should follow this, so that will attain the sustainable Quality Culture. This is my mantra which gives me an immense satisfaction in my life as Quality Professional in this sacred Pharma Sector.
I would like to take this as an opportunity to highlight 'why most of the companies are fumbling during the Regulatory audits and eventually Industry is getting warning letters/are under official action' Below is my understanding in this regard
1)Wrong recruitment by the Companies and further some of the Quality leaders are recruiting their known interested people to establish their hold to have favorable environment in the Quality section. Indeed, different ideology will work as always that the Quality decisions should be questioned and evaluated in compliance perspective.
2)Second major reason is evaluation of the candidate during the interview at some companies are not based on role specific and cadre specific and more specifically recruiting a person with irrelevant experience.
3)Especially, the upcoming generations are looking on materialistic than emotional bonding (sincerity is lacking) towards the career and profession in other words like working for a company ritually than religiously.
For me some of my seniors in the industry (in different companies) are role models and real inspirational personalities by which i love on my role wherever I work and hold the responsibilities to make company win in all situations wherever I work in my career.
My sincere advice to the upcoming pharma generations that “Chose this Pharma field not for only earning the money rather to contribute to this sacred industry to serve the Nation in this health sector with Self-Integrity and later with Sincerity & Discipline and as a result one will achieve the Apex level to be part of history in this Pharma fraternity”.
Kiran Kota, Quality Head, SMS Pharmaceutical
I strongly say that SMS Pharmaceuticals as an organization is the place where one can prove their capabilities by meeting the Compliance and to get satisfied with our Quality Consciousness