Replying to the felicitation, he recalled how starting an industry by a first generation entrepreneur was considered to be a madness, immediately after the Independence when the country was heavily dependent on import of drugs. With determination and will, his company was shaped into the fifth largest pharmaceutical country in terms of turnover, providing complete healthcare solutions in formulations, bulk drugs, biologicals, diagnostics, animal healthcare, herbals and cosmetics.

Home minister LK Advani, presenting the award, said that one has to be a dreamer first to be a go-getter as was Ramanbhai Patel, who had also expressed his dreams in `Pratiti' an anthology of 180 poems.

The earlier recipients of the award were late Uttambhai Mehta of Torrent Group, Karsanbhai Patel of Nirma and Arvind Narottam Lalbhai of Lalbhai Group.