Akram Ahmad
Dr. Akram Ahmad | |
|---|---|
| Born | Budaun district, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Bachelor of Pharmacy, Diploma in Pharmacy, Ph.D. |
| Alma mater | Allahabad Agricultural Institute, University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine and Health |
| Occupation(s) | pharmacist, and academic |
| Known for | Academically Global |
Dr. Akram Ahmad is an Indian pharmacist, academic, and entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Academically Global, an EdTech platform that helps healthcare professionals prepare for licensing exams and work opportunities abroad.[1][2] His work focuses on bridging the gap between healthcare education in India and global employment standards.[3]
Early life and education
[edit]Dr. Ahmad was born in Sahaswan, a small town in the Budaun district, Uttar Pradesh, in a rural family. He had an ordinary upbringing residing in a single room house with his six siblings. Inspired by his family ambitions and motivated by his elder brother, who was a pharmacist too, he opted to study pharmacy.[4]
He pursued his Diploma in Pharmacy followed by BPharm at Allahabad Agricultural Institute from 2007 to 2010. Subsequently, he pursued his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) from Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu. During this time, a talk with an American visiting speaker opened his eyes to global career options in the field of healthcare, marking a turning point in his life.[5]
Career
[edit]Dr. Ahmad began his career in academia. His first permanent appointment was as a lecturer at UCSI University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 2014 to 2017. He was later awarded a full government scholarship to continue his PhD work at the University of Sydney, Australia.[6][7]
During his stay in Sydney, he encountered some very well-qualified healthcare professionals who were underutilized because they lacked information regarding local licensing exams. This prompted him to launch a YouTube channel in 2018 focused on sharing advice on how international health professionals can get licensed to practice in nations such as Australia, Canada, and the United States of America.[4]
Academically global
[edit]In 2022, Dr. Ahmad established Academically Global to offer systematic online training for licensing exams like KAPS (now called OPRA), AMC, PEBC, NCLEX, and more. The firm expanded expeditiously, serving more than 3,000 students across 70+ countries. In two years of establishment, it achieved an annual turnover of ₹12 crore and established offices in Dehradun, India, and Sydney, Australia.[8][9][10]
Personal Life
[edit]Dr. Ahmad is married to Syed Asna, a software engineer. The couple married in 2019. During the early stages of Academically Global, his wife supported the company, both financially and technically. Despite the business success, Ahmad has stated in interviews that he prefers to live simply and continues to follow the values taught by his parents.[11]
Views on Healthcare Education
[edit]Dr. Ahmad has been vocal about the gaps in India’s healthcare education system. He has pointed out that many Indian degrees in pharmacy and medicine are not fully recognised abroad, often due to differences in programme duration or curriculum focus.[12][13]
He advocates for reforms to align Indian healthcare education with global standards, including a stronger emphasis on clinical training and communication skills.[14]
Notable publications
[edit]- "Knowledge and attitude of healthcare workers about middle east respiratory syndrome in multispecialty hospitals of Qassim, Saudi Arabia; Muhammad Umair Khan, Shahjahan Shah, Akram Ahmad, Omotayo Fatokun; December 2014; Vol-14; Cited by 317
- "Perceptions and Practices of Community Pharmacists towards Antimicrobial Stewardship in the State of Selangor, Malaysia; 2016; Dhingra S. Khan MU, Hassali MAA, Ahmad A, Elkalmi RM, Zaidi STR; Vol-11; Cited by 93
- Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards polio immunization among residents of two highly affected regions of Pakistan; 2015; Jawaria Idrees and Muhammad Ubaid Khan Muhammad Umair Khan, Akram Ahmad, Talieha Aqeel, Saad Salman, Qamer Ibrahim; Journal:BMC Public Health; Cited by 93
- "The Role of Religion, Spirituality and Fasting in Coping with Diabetes among Indian Migrants in Australia: A Qualitative Exploratory Study"; 06 October 2021; Akram Ahmad, Muhammad Umair Khan & Parisa Aslani; Citations:14
- "A Qualitative Study on Medication Taking Behaviour Among People With Diabetes in Australia"; 20 September 2021; Vol:12; Akram Ahmad, Muhammad Umair Khan, Parisa Aslani; Cited by 12
References
[edit]- ^ "PCI proposed five-year pharmacy programme, experts calls it 'potential turning point'". The Financial Express. The Financial Express. 29 April 2025.
- ^ "Trailblazing Startups of 2025: Driving the Future of Innovation". The Economic Times. The Economic Times. 16 January 2025.
- ^ "Success Story: 6 लाख महीने का मोह छोड़ा और आज 2 करोड़ मंथली कमाई, किसान के लाल ने ऐसे किया कमाल". NavbharatTimes (in Hindi). Navbharat Times.
- ^ a b "विदेश में टैक्सी चला रहा था बी फार्मा किया हुआ भारतीय युवा, डॉ अकरम हुए हैरान, शुरू किया ये काम". News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). News18 India. 26 August 2024.
- ^ "From Lanterns To Leadership: Dr. Akram Ahmad's Unconventional Journey And The Making Of Academically Global". Outlook India. Outlook. 23 June 2025.
- ^ "इच्छा तेथे मार्ग! सहा लाख रुपयांची नोकरी सोडून शेतकऱ्याच्या मुलानं गाठलं परदेश; वाचा मेडिकलच्या विद्यार्थ्यांसाठी स्टार्टअप लाँच करणाऱ्याची यशोगाथा". Loksatta (in Marathi). Loksatta. 6 September 2024.
- ^ "Academically Global: Empowering Healthcare Professionals for Global Success". StartupTalky. 6 December 2024.
- ^ "Academically Global provides comprehensive guidance and training to healthcare professionals". Express Healthcare. 16 January 2025.
- ^ "Academically Is Helping Indian Healthcare Professionals Go Global". Iindia.com.
- ^ "Empowering Global Healthcare: Dr. Akram Ahmad's Journey From Pharmacy To Founding Academically Global". BW Education. Businessworld.
- ^ "Starting with a Phone and Tripod, a Pharmacist Scaled a YouTube Channel into a Rs. 12 Crore Turnover Edtech Company". Theweekendleader.com.
- ^ "Why are healthcare professionals moving abroad?". India Today. India Today. 6 March 2025.
- ^ Shehkawat, Meemansa. "India's BPharm curriculum set for overhaul: Global voices call for deeper reform". DNA India. Daily News and Analysis.
- ^ "Healthcare professionals moving abroad for better careers and lifestyle". business-standard.com. Business Standard.