| Hamdard Laboratories (India) | |
| Type: | Non-profit |
| Industry: | Healthcare, Food |
| Foundation: | Old Delhi, British India |
| Location: | New Delhi, India |
| Key People: | Hamid Ahmed (CEO) |
| Products: | Rooh Afza, Safi, Roghan Badam Shirin, Sualin, Joshina, Cinkara |
| Brands: | Rooh Afza, Hamdard Khaalis, Hamdard Glucose-D |
Hamdard Laboratories (India) is a Unani pharmaceutical and food company in India. It was established in 1906 by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed in Delhi, and became a waqf (non-profitable trust) in 1948.[1] Some of its most popular products include Sharbat Rooh Afza, Safi, Roghan Badam Shirin, Sualin, Joshina and Cinkara. It is associated with Hamdard National Foundation, a charitable educational trust.[1]
Hamdard Laboratories was founded in 1906 in Delhi by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed and Ansarullah Tabani, a Unani practitioner. The name Hamdard (Urdu: ہمدرد) means "companion in suffering" in Urdu language. Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed was born in Pilibhit city of Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1883 to Sheikh Rahim Bakhs. He is said to have learnt the complete Quran Sharif by heart. He also studied the origin of Urdu and Persian languages. Subsequently, he acquired the highest degree in the unani system of medicine.[2]
Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed got in touch with Hakim Zamal Khan, who had a keen interest in herbs and was famous for identifying medicinal plants. Having consulted with his wife, Abdul Majeed set up a herbal shop at Hauz Qazi in Delhi in 1906 and started to produce herbal medicine there. In 1920 the small herbal shop turned into a full-fledged production house.
After the founder's passing in 1922, his wife Rabea Begum and her two sons founded the 'Hamdard Trust,' with a commitment to allocate 85 percent of its profits for charitable purposes.[3] His son Hakeem Abdul Hameed took over the administration of Hamdard Laboratories at the age of fourteen. Abdul Hameed would then be joined by his younger brother Hakeem Muhammad Saeed in running the company until the latter's move to Pakistan in 1948 and forming Hamdard Pakistan in Karachi.
Hamdard Foundation was created in 1964 to disburse the profits of the company to promote the interests of the society. All the profits of the company go to the foundation.[4]
Hamdard Laboratories has a twin manufacturing plant in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and one plant in Manesar, Haryana.[5] [6]
The company has over 500 natural and herb-based products. Some of its known products are Sharbat Rooh Afza, Safi, Pachnaul, Roghan Badam Shirin, Sualin, Joshina and Cinkara.[7] [2] One of its products, Safi has high demand in the country since it is believed to be used for blood purification.[5]