Nitya Anand was educated in Lyallpur and Delhi, earning his PhD (1948) from University Department of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai, under Professor K Venkataraman. He then proceeded to Cambridge, UK, and did another PhD (1950) under the supervision of Professor Lord Todd. He was a Rockfeller Foundation Fellow (1959) at the Department of Bacteriology & Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston (USA). He returned to India in 1951 and joined the Central Drug Research Institute. In 1984 he retired having served as Director since 1974. Anand was INSA Senior Scientist during 1985-87.

Academic and Research Achievements: Anand built an active school of Medicinal Chemistry research at CDRI, which contributed much to the design, discovery and development of new drugs. The two approach used most successfully by his school involved: (a) incorporating the prototype structure into structurally constrained molecules, which helped to understand the 3D structural requirements of the ligand & thus of the contact points of the receptor, and (b) designing lead structure by grafting sub-structure elements of the prototype on to new platforms. He has made significant contributions in the discovery of many of the new drugs introduced by CDRI, such as Centchroman, (INN: Ormeloxifen) the weekly non-steroidal contraceptive, Centbutindole (INN: Biriperone) a neuroleptic, Centbucridine (INN: Bucricaine), a local anaesthetic. Another important contribution of Anand has been the demonstration than immunomodulators, such as MDP have a bigger role in the control of infectious diseases than merely as adjuvants for vaccines and can greatly enhance the effect of chemotherapy. Around 90 of his students have been awarded PhD degree. He has published around 400 research papers, has been granted around 130 national and international patents, jointly authored two books on organic synthesis. He has been Editor of two books and written about 30 book chapters on Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology.

Other Contributions: Anand was associated with different drug policy formulating bodies of the Government of India for almost four decades and has been an adviser and consultant to many scientific bodies and institutions. He was a member of INSA Council during 1974-76.

. Awards and Honours: Nitya Anand is the recipient of Vishwakarma Medal of INSA (1982). He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (India) Allahabad and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, and was President of the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (1984).