Hamdard India

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{{Infobox company

| name = Hamdard Laboratories (India)

| logo =

| logo_size =

| type = Non-profit

| industry = Healthcare, Food

| foundation = {{start date and age|1906}}
Old Delhi, British India

| founder = {{ubl|Hafiz Abdul Majeed|Ansarullah Tabani}}

| 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 Diabeat

| homepage = {{ubl|{{URL|http://www.hamdard.in|hamdard.in}} (Healthcare division)|{{URL|http://www.hamdard.com|hamdard.com}} (Food division)}}

}}

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.{{cite news |last1=Mitra |first1=Moinak |title=Meet the men behind 113-year-old Hamdard's modernisation drive |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/meet-the-men-behind-113-year-old-hamdards-modernisation-drive/articleshow/20086927.cms?from=mdr |publisher=The Economic Times |date=17 May 2013}} Some of its most popular products include Sharbat Rooh Afza, Safi, Roghan Badam Shirin, Sualin, Joshina and Cinkara.{{cite news |last1=Das |first1=Sharmila |title=Hamdard enters ready-to-drink beverage segment with RoohAfza Fusion |url=https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/food-entertainment/personal-care-pet-supplies-liquor/hamdard-enters-ready-to-drink-beverage-segment-with-roohafza-fusion/58135603 |publisher=The Economic Times |date=11 April 2017}} It is associated with Hamdard National Foundation, a charitable educational trust.

History

Hamdard Laboratories was founded in 1906 in Delhi by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed and Ansarullah Tabani, who were both Unani practitioners. The name Hamdard (Urdu: ہمدرد) is a Persian word which means "companion in suffering".{{Cite web |title=Meaning of hamdard in English |url=https://www.rekhtadictionary.com/meaning-of-hamdard |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Rekhta Dictionary |language=en}}

Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed was born in the city of Pilibhit, in modern-day Uttar Pradesh 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.{{cite news |title=Meet Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed, the man behind Rooh Afza: Know about his journey, family & net worth |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/meet-hakim-hafiz-abdul-majeed-the-man-behind-rooh-afza-know-about-his-journey-family-net-worth/3085003/ |publisher=The Financial Express |date=13 May 2023}}

Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed got in touch with Hakim Zamal Khan{{when|date=September 2016}}, 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.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

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.{{cite news |last1=Manmohan |first1=Nutan |title=Hamdard's Rooh Afza—the medicine syrup that turned into luxury drink for India & Pakistan |url=https://theprint.in/feature/hamdards-rooh-afza-the-medicine-syrup-that-turned-into-luxury-drink-for-india-pakistan/1731459/ |publisher=The Print |date=26 August 2023}} 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.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

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. [http://www.expressindia.com/fe/daily/20010120/fco20038.html New-look Hamdard gets down to business] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102093329/http://www.expressindia.com/fe/daily/20010120/fco20038.html |date=2 January 2013 }} in Indian Express, 20 January 2001

Hamdard Laboratories has a twin manufacturing plant in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and one plant in Manesar, Haryana.{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/heavy-metal-warning-for-ayurvedic-medicinal-products-1.524035|title=Heavy metal warning for Ayurvedic medicinal products|date=4 March 2005|publisher=CBC News|access-date=3 June 2018|archive-date=17 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617152343/http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/heavy-metal-warning-for-ayurvedic-medicinal-products-1.524035|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/metal-content-found-in-ayurvedic-drugs/3322-17.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212013734/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/metal-content-found-in-ayurvedic-drugs/3322-17.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 December 2008|title=Metal content found in Ayurvedic drugs|date=5 January 2006|work=IBN Live|access-date=21 March 2013}}

Products

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.