Dr. Nityanand, the scientist who created the contraceptive ‘Saheli’, has passed away. ‘Saheli’ was started in 1986 by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
गर्भनिरोधक ‘सहेली’ की खोज करने वाले वैज्ञानिक डॉ. नित्यानंद का 99 साल की उम्र में निधन
Dr Nityanand, former director of the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), who discovered India’s first oral contraceptive ‘Saheli’, died at SGPGIMS Lucknow on Saturday after a prolonged illness. He was 99 years old. His last rites will take place on Monday.
Padma Shri awardee, Dr. Nithyananda has two sons, Neeraj Nithyananda and Dr. Naveen Nithyananda, and daughter Dr. Sonia Nithyananda, who is the Vice-Chancellor of King George’s Medical University (KGMU).
A medical chemist, Dr. Nityananda was with CDRI since its inception in 1951 and served as its Director from 1974 to 1984. He published more than 400 research papers and received more than 130 patents and supervised 100 PhD students.
Dr Sonia Nityananda said, “My father was the brain behind the world’s first and only non-steroidal, non-hormonal oral, once-a-week oral contraceptive, ‘Centchroman’ aka ‘Saheli’. It has been included in the National Family Planning Program of India since 2016. It was a revolutionary drug in the field of contraception as it was safe. Even now it is the only non-steroidal non-hormonal contraceptive in the world, which is a matter of great pride that it was developed in India and in Lucknow.
‘Saheli’ was started in 1986 by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. CDRI spokesperson, Senior Scientist Sanjeev Yadav said, “His stay at CDRI, first as a scientist, then as Head of the Medicinal Chemistry Division (1963-1974) and later as a Director (1974-1984) of the institute “has been very important in shaping and nurturing the emerging scientists of India.”
Dr. Nithyananda has been associated with various drug policy-making bodies of the Government of India for almost four decades and has been an advisor and consultant to many scientific bodies and institutions.
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