MUMBAI, 26th JUNE, 2023 (GPN): Under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Ltd (“KMCC” / “Kotak Investment Banking”) today announced its association with Ignite Life Science Foundation (ILSF) for supporting research in the area of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

The Bengaluru-based not-for-profit foundation, ILSF aims to leverage scientific discoveries for social good. The COVID-19 pandemic unmasked the growing problem of AMR in India, which can’t be solved through expensive antimicrobial drugs that are being developed. The country needs cheaper and more effective solutions that can minimise antimicrobial drug usage in all environments, including in agriculture. Solutions for AMR can come from new knowledge about resistance mechanisms in microorganisms and diagnostic methods to rapidly identify the organism causing an infection.

Ramesh Srinivasan, MD & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company said, “Our CSR Project on Healthcare includes preventive healthcare and sanitation. We are pleased to associate with Ignite Life Science Foundation to provide CSR funding for research in the area of Antimicrobial Resistance. We believe that our CSR project is likely to produce outcomes that are of immense benefit, given the scale and importance of these problems for human health.”

Dr. T. S. Balganesh, President of GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Ignite Life Science Foundation said, “Antimicrobial Resistance is on the verge of upsetting all the gains that we have made with modern medicine. Novel therapeutics aimed to address this global and local problem is urgently needed as a part of the ‘one health’ concept for sustaining our race. AMR is a priority area under India’s G-20 presidency. Increasing our collective effort through funding for research, awareness and stewardship will surely make an impact towards combating this potential ‘pandemic’.”

KMCC’s CSR Project will act as a triaging and a support mechanism to ensure that good ideas in the field of AMR thrive to a stage where they can be worked on by industry partners or collaborators.

Kotak Karma is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) identity of Kotak Mahindra Group.Ends