New Delhi, Nov. 10 -- At just 19 years, Sheetal Arora was thrown in at the deep end of operations at Mankind Pharma. Though a family-run enterprise, he started out in the frontline as a medical representative, taking on the responsibility of building sales, marketing and distribution.

"I spent time visiting doctors, chemists and distributors to understand how demand could be generated. Interacting with customers handed me feedback through which I could address negative sentiments. That period exposed me to ups and downs, laying the foundation for everything that followed," says Delhi-based Arora, 48, the promoter and chief executive of Mankind Pharma Ltd.

Among the many milestones he cherishes over the last three decades are when they f...