Dhanwantary: Celebrating 40 years of trust & dedication in pharmacy

It all started with the humble beginnings of the founder while he was serving at the Calcutta Medical Research Institute. The name of the brand ‘Dhanwantary’ was coined by his father, the late HP Khandelwal. “The ‘Balakanda’ of ‘The Ramayana’ and ‘The Bhagavata Purana’ state that Dhanvantari emerged from the ‘Ocean of Milk’ and appeared with the pot of ‘amrita’ (elixir of immortality) during the ‘Samudra Manthana’, whilst the ocean was being churned by the ‘devtas’ and the ‘asuras’,” said Rajendra Khandelwal, MD of ‘Dhanwantary Medicare & Research Centre Pvt Ltd’.

Inception Story

While he was working at CK Birla Hospitals, he rose among the rankings from a shop floor assistant to Group Procurement Manager, having streamlined the operational processes at CMRI and set up the foundation of BM Birla Hospital until the launch. He was restless to solve the loopholes in the pharmacy infrastructure. He banked on the faith put in him by a handful of friends breaking their FDs and gave the seed capital for the shop at 65 DH Road at Ekbalpur crossing. This was near his existing workplace so that allowed him to work round the clock and deliver unrivalled retail excellence to the then distraught customer.

“From a 200 sq. ft. store at Ekbalpur on the auspicious day of Janmashtami (August 19, 1984), ‘Dhanwantary’ has been a beacon of trust and unwavering commitment to the well-being of its customers,” said Khandelwal. At present, this iconic brand is celebrating its 40th year in service to the people of Kolkata and around.

Services on Offer

This pharmacy chain serves medicines and allied medical/ surgical accessories across its 28 branches in Kolkata and Hooghly district, serving 4,000 customers every day, including 300 home deliveries daily.

The Team

“The journey began with two employees, namely Pradip Mitra and Sudama Prasad Shaw. At present, the company employs a strong team of around 250 team members,” informed Khandelwal. The company takes pride in their workforce who are motivated by the smiles of customers and meeting their expectations.

“We believe in human capital and human resources. The team stands tall as pillars of the company. Even in this age of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), our team stands out by providing a human touch,” said Khandelwal.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of their human capital faced backlashes and harassment as many health workers did across the country. During the first wave, the Amphan cyclone posed another challenge. But all the 28 stores were open at 8:30 am the subsequent day.

Vision & Mission

Having served over four crore patients in almost 40 years, ‘Dhanwantary’ has become synonymous with trust and faith in healthcare delivery. Their unyielding commitment to excellence has enabled them to continuously set new benchmarks year after year. The management team considers it a privilege and honour that the citizens of Kolkata have stored their trust and faith in the ‘Dhanwantary’ brand. Khandelwal epitomises the company’s ethos. He believes in the mantra, ‘Serving the customers with a smile’, recognising that mankind is their business and service is their product. His vision of devoted service with unwavering commitment and passion distinguishes ‘Dhanwantary’ from ordinary pharmacies.

Notable Milestones

‘Dhanwantary’ received the ‘Best Pharmacy Retail Chain’ award from ‘The Times Group’ and other eminent trade and industry organisations. This accolade, among several other honours, underscores the company’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of quality and service.

The USP

Dhanwantary’s commitment to customer satisfaction is further exemplified through its Pranam Club and its initiatives. With more than two lakh members, families benefit from this loyalty card that grants special discounts and free home delivery, among many other health-related advantages. “The Pranam Card was specially designed for senior citizens, recognising the unique healthcare needs of this demographic,” said Khandelwal.

From its inception, ‘Dhanwantary’ has operated under a philosophy that emphasises service with a smile. They believe that service is the rent they pay for the space they occupy on Mother Earth. Recognising that customers often approach them during challenging times including the COVID pandemic, ‘Dhanwantary’ ensures a human touch in every interaction. They strive to provide medicines of the highest quality in a friendly and welcoming environment.

Growth Strategy

“While we are celebrating our four decades of services, we wish to open our outlets in unrepresented localities of Kolkata and districts of West Bengal,” informed Khandelwal.

A Game Changer

The trusted pharmacy chain has pioneered many practices in the pharmacy industry. The concept of discounts on medicines was unheard of in the 1990s and they made sure to listen to their customers. In 2000, ‘Dhanwantary’ was the first pharmacy store to have a loyalty card for customers’ benefit. ‘Dhanwantary’ was the first retail chain in Eastern India to digitise inventory records to simplify compliance with ‘Drug Control Authorities’. This ensured no customer would receive expired medicines. In 2006, they came up with the first walk-in store with inspiration from pharmacy chains in the international circuit. In 2010, ‘Dhanwantary’ started its home delivery services, which was unprecedented and unheard of back then. In 2014, they offered the convenience of uploading prescriptions through ‘WhatsApp’ since customers could not read prescriptions and the dispensing of the wrong medicine could be avoided.

“In 2020 and 2021, ‘Dhanwantary’ braved the storms of the pandemic and would always ensure that branded medicines, high-quality equipment and protective gear were availed to its customers from day one, during which time medicine availability along with access to protective equipment like concentrators, oximeters, masks, gloves and face shields was a huge issue,” asserted Khandelwal.

Philanthropic Activities

Dhanwantary’s commitment to the community goes beyond healthcare. “The Dhanwantary Seva Foundation, a charitable trust, has been established to support the ignored members of society and provide scholarships to underprivileged students, especially girl children up to their graduation level under the project called Sukanya, highlighting their dedication to creating a brighter future for the youth of Kolkata,” shared Khandelwal.

Generation Next

Khandelwal has two sons - Dr Rajat who is a Consultant Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist and therapeutic Endoscopist with Apollo Hospitals, Bhubaneswar and Ravindra who manages the operations at ‘Dhanwantary Group’, making sure each customer is served by the medicines they need. According to Ravindra, “There is a huge legacy to live up to and I am responsible to not only the 250+ strong team, but also the customers, who have been the patrons of our 40-year strong brand.”