Ranjeeta Bhat, Director – HR, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, speaks to India Employer Forum about bridging the academia–industry gap, digital transformation in pharma, early careers, retention, inclusive people strategies, and more.
According to her, “It is a reality that academia often focuses on theoretical excellence, while the industry looks for hands-on regulatory knowledge and cross-functional problem-solving. To bridge this gap, companies like us are co-creating curricula with universities—embedding modules on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), regulatory sciences, and analytics into learning programs. This ensures students understand these aspects while still in college. We also encourage internships, capstone projects, research collaborations, and guest lectures by our scientists so that students not only learn the theory but also get a real taste of what their careers will look like.”
On the role of emerging technologies, she said, “AI, ML, and data analytics are transforming pharma—from drug discovery to clinical trials, supply chain optimization, and even personalized medicines. This creates a rising demand for digital fluency and cross-disciplinary skills. Tomorrow’s pharma workforce will be hybrid—where scientists and engineers must be as comfortable with data modeling and automation as they are with lab experiments. For HR, the opportunity lies in reskilling our people while creating a learning ecosystem that blends science and technology.”
Addressing retention, especially among young professionals, she said, “Attrition is often driven by career aspirations, learning opportunities, and workplace culture. At Dr. Reddy’s, our retention strategy is three-fold: first, we provide structured career paths with cross-functional projects and strong internal mobility; second, our early-career cohort goes through continuous upskilling, mentorship, and leadership development; and third, we connect young talent to our larger purpose ‘Good Health Can’t Wait’. This sense of meaningful work ties directly into engagement and retention.”
📺 Watch the full interview: In Conversation with Ranjeeta Bhat | Director HR, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
About Ranjeeta Bhat
Ranjeeta Bhat is the Director – HR at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories. She has played a critical role in shaping and driving talent strategies that align closely with business goals, particularly in the early careers space. Passionate about building leadership pipelines, she has championed structured stints, gigs, and cross-functional roles to cultivate a cadre of future-ready leaders.
A strong advocate of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, she focuses on creating equitable frameworks that ensure access to growth opportunities regardless of background, business unit, or geography. Ranjeeta partners with leaders to translate people strategy into measurable business outcomes—co-developing leadership programs, succession plans, and evolving L&D initiatives to build resilient, high-performing teams. You can connect with her here.
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