Saloni Wagh, Aman Mehta, Vidhi Shanghvi: Meet the young minds steering India’s pharma giants

 Saloni Wagh, Managing Director at Supriya Lifescience

“There are so many markets that are getting impacted on a daily basis. You need to always have a Plan B,” says Saloni Wagh, the 34-year-old Managing Director at Supriya Lifescience, on navigating a volatile business landscape and learning from it.

Wagh was appointed to the top job about nine months ago, and is among a small group of pharma scions recently elevated to top management roles in their respective companies.

Aman Mehta, Managing Director, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Two such announcements came just last week: Torrent Pharmaceuticals’ appointment of 33-year-old Aman Mehta, third generation of the promoter family, as Managing Director from August 2025. And Sun Pharmaceuticals board of directors’ approval of the appointment of Vidhi Shanghvi (37 years) – daughter of Founder and Chairman and Managing Director Dilip Shanghvi – as a Whole-time Director. Earlier in February, Sun had elevated Aalok Shanghvi (40 years) as the Chief Operating Officer.

 Vidhi Shanghvi, Whole-time Director, Sun Pharmaceuticals

The young brigade has done time in their respective companies, but their appointments come even as some promoters sell their stake to private equity companies due to the challenging environment or absence of a next generation to pick up the reins. In fact, the pharmaceutical industry has been through challenges, including the pandemic and geo-political uncertainties, besides facing steep regulatory requirements and possibly import tariff in the United States.

Helming an export-oriented company, Wagh says, the last five years have seen many changes. “We have gone through Covid, we have gone through wars, which …directly or indirectly impacts business (and) trade policies..,” she says, adding, that it’s “a way of learning.” On tackling the uncertainty, she says, “ we try to find solutions and strategies on how… we can still navigate those markets without having any financial impact.”

Earning trust

Wagh joined Supriya Lifescience about 12 years ago, and like her industry peers, has been trained across multiple functions.

From business development and marketing, technical and quality, and finance and investor management – especially in the run-up to Supriya Lifescience getting listed in 2021, Wagh explains, it is important to understand it all.  “Otherwise, .. you cannot gain the trust and respect of your colleagues,” she says, pointing to working with people who have put in as many years as her age.

“Nobody will take you seriously just because of your designation. They might listen to you once, twice, but then later they will not take your opinion seriously,” she says on the importance of understanding the workings of the company and contributing “meaningfully” to earn respect from colleagues and industry peers. Saloni’s younger sister Shivani (33), handles marketing and business development in Europe. 

Torrent Pharma’s Aman Mehta is credited with, among other things,  playing a key role in integrating  acquisitions, including Unichem and Curatio Healthcare. Mehta joined the Torrent Pharma board in 2022.

Sun Pharma’s Aalok Shanghvi joined in 2006 and continues as Whole-time Director and Executive Vice-President, Emerging Markets, Global Generic R&D, Global Business Development (Generics), Operations and API (active pharmaceutical ingredients). And Vidhi Shanghvi is Vice President and head of consumer healthcare and India distribution in Sun Pharma, where she started in 2012 as a brand manager within the India business. Following the merger of Ranbaxy with Sun Pharma (2015), Vidhi took charge as Business Head of Sun Pharma’s Consumer Healthcare Business – which has flagship brands like Revital H and Volini.

Published on May 26, 2025