Dr Nitya Anand, man who discovered India’s first oral contraceptive pill ‘Saheli’, passes away

Dr. Nitya Anand, who made the first oral contraceptive pill ‘Saheli’ in India, passed away at 99 in Lucknow.  Dr. Anand was in charge of the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) from 1974 to 1984. He was part of CDRI since it started in 1951. He guided 100 PhD students, wrote over 400 papers, and had more than 130 patents.

Saheli: A Major Achievement

Dr. Anand made Saheli, a unique birth control pill, used once a week and without steroids or hormones. It was introduced in 1986 by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In 2016, Saheli became part of India’s National Family Programme. It is still the only pill of its kind in the world.

Other Contributions

Dr. Anand worked with the Indian government for about 40 years on drug policies. He also advised many science groups.

Awards and Family

Dr. Anand got the Padma Shri award. He leaves behind his daughter, Dr. Sonia Nityanand, and two sons, Neeraj and Dr. Naveen Anand.