Pankaj Patel

Thinking of possibilities is like driving a car on a freeway. You have an open road that stretches endlessly before you where your thoughts are not shackled. But when we say 'impossible,' we have already reached a dead-end in our minds. So dwell on possibilities to open up your horizon.

It's the sum of the parts that make up the whole, so in my opinion excellence comes from how one undertakes to do something. It all begins with the thought process - which is creative and exalted to produce something out of the ordinary.

What we do tomorrow is more important than what we did yesterday.

Cadila, India's sixth-largest drugmaker by sales, spent $250 million developing Lipaglyn, a new chemical entity or new discovery, and aims to spend another $150 million to $200 million to launch the drug outside India.

The first award that I recall having received was in the form of a scholarship when I was studying in the 5th standard. I was granted this scholarship for achieving academic excellence, and it continues to be one of the high points in my life.

During an economic slowdown, one needs to be cautious, but I think it's equally important to not get sucked into the vortex of defensive thinking.

One of the big myths about philanthropy is that it's all about donating funds for a cause. I like to look at it quite differently. Philanthropy is about 'giving' - not just in monetary terms but also in non-monetary aspects, like time, ideas, or being a volunteer. Donating money is just a small part of philanthropy.

Financial risk is always associated with drug discovery. But the benefit that a blockbuster drug can bring to the business can be phenomenal if you can take that risk.