The pharma sector is often called India’s “sunrise industry” – it not only meets domestic healthcare needs but also supplies medicines to the world. For investors, this sector has delivered resilience during crises (like Covid-19) and continues to show strong long-term growth potential.
That’s where Pharma Mutual Funds come in. These are sectoral funds that invest in pharmaceutical, healthcare, and allied companies, giving you exposure to one of India’s most promising industries.
But are they right for your Portfolio? Let’s explore.
Pharma Mutual Funds are sectoral Equity Funds that invest primarily in companies from:
Since they are sector-specific, they carry higher risk than Diversified Funds, but also offer the chance to capture outsized gains when the sector outperforms.
Here’s why the Indian pharma industry is considered a strong bet:
In short: Pharma funds allow you to benefit from both domestic consumption growth and global demand for cost-effective drugs.
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Fund Selection Methodology used to find 10 funds
Fund NAV Net Assets (Cr) 3 MO (%) 6 MO (%) 1 YR (%) 3 YR (%) 5 YR (%) 2024 (%) TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund Growth ₹30.4664
↑ 0.06 ₹1,339 4.3 14.7 -0.8 23.6 18.8 40.4 Nippon India Pharma Fund Growth ₹508.419
↓ -0.74 ₹8,737 0.9 12.5 -1.4 22.9 18.6 34 UTI Healthcare Fund Growth ₹288.531
↓ -0.17 ₹1,146 4.3 16.3 3.1 25.2 18.6 42.9 SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund Growth ₹428.766
↑ 1.33 ₹4,027 2.6 12 5 26.2 20.8 42.2 Note: Returns up to 1 year are on absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR basis. as on 2 Sep 25 Research Highlights & Commentary of 4 Funds showcased
Commentary TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund Nippon India Pharma Fund UTI Healthcare Fund SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund Point 1 Lower mid AUM (₹1,339 Cr). Highest AUM (₹8,737 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹1,146 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹4,027 Cr). Point 2 Established history (9+ yrs). Established history (21+ yrs). Oldest track record among peers (26 yrs). Established history (20+ yrs). Point 3 Not Rated. Top rated. Rating: 1★ (lower mid). Rating: 2★ (upper mid). Point 4 Risk profile: High. Risk profile: High. Risk profile: High. Risk profile: High. Point 5 5Y return: 18.79% (upper mid). 5Y return: 18.56% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 18.61% (lower mid). 5Y return: 20.76% (top quartile). Point 6 3Y return: 23.63% (lower mid). 3Y return: 22.86% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 25.15% (upper mid). 3Y return: 26.20% (top quartile). Point 7 1Y return: -0.82% (lower mid). 1Y return: -1.39% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 3.09% (upper mid). 1Y return: 5.02% (top quartile). Point 8 Alpha: 2.48 (upper mid). Alpha: -3.24 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.67 (lower mid). Alpha: 3.04 (top quartile). Point 9 Sharpe: 0.16 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 0.18 (lower mid). Sharpe: 0.43 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.60 (top quartile). Point 10 Information ratio: 0.60 (top quartile). Information ratio: -0.51 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: -0.06 (lower mid). Information ratio: 0.38 (upper mid). TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund
Nippon India Pharma Fund
UTI Healthcare Fund
SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund
All the funds mentioned above are ideal, we are giving you detailed analysis of 3 funds.
The investment objective of the scheme is to seek long term capital appreciation by investing atleast 80% of its net assets in equity/equity related instruments of the companies in the pharma & healthcare sectors in India.However, there is no assurance or guarantee that the investment objective of the Scheme will be achieved.The Scheme does not assure or guarantee any returns. Research Highlights for TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund Below is the key information for TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund Returns up to 1 year are on The primary investment objective of the scheme is to seek to generate consistent returns by investing in equity and equity related or fixed income securities of Pharma and other associated companies. Research Highlights for Nippon India Pharma Fund Below is the key information for Nippon India Pharma Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile UTI Pharma & Healthcare Fund) The Investment objective of the Scheme is capital appreciation through investments in equities and equity related instruments of the Pharma & Healthcare sectors. Research Highlights for UTI Healthcare Fund Below is the key information for UTI Healthcare Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile SBI Pharma Fund) To provide the investors maximum growth opportunity through equity
investments in stocks of growth oriented sectors of the economy. Research Highlights for SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund Below is the key information for SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund Returns up to 1 year are on 1. TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund
TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund
Growth Launch Date 28 Dec 15 NAV (02 Sep 25) ₹30.4664 ↑ 0.06 (0.18 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹1,339 on 31 Jul 25 Category Equity - Sectoral AMC Tata Asset Management Limited Rating Risk High Expense Ratio 2.17 Sharpe Ratio 0.16 Information Ratio 0.6 Alpha Ratio 2.48 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 150 Exit Load 0-3 Months (0.25%),3 Months and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Aug 20 ₹10,000 31 Aug 21 ₹14,514 31 Aug 22 ₹12,943 31 Aug 23 ₹15,786 31 Aug 24 ₹24,599 31 Aug 25 ₹24,182 Returns for TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund
absolute basis
& more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate)
basis. as on 2 Sep 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -0.4% 3 Month 4.3% 6 Month 14.7% 1 Year -0.8% 3 Year 23.6% 5 Year 18.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 12.2% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 40.4% 2023 36.6% 2022 -8% 2021 19.1% 2020 64.4% 2019 5.5% 2018 -2.6% 2017 4.7% 2016 -14.7% 2015 Fund Manager information for TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund
Name Since Tenure Rajat Srivastava 16 Sep 24 0.96 Yr. Data below for TATA India Pharma & Healthcare Fund as on 31 Jul 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Health Care 91.69% Financial Services 1.63% Basic Materials 0.46% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 6.22% Equity 93.78% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jan 16 | SUNPHARMA11% ₹146 Cr 856,462
↑ 2,162 Cipla Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 20 | 5000877% ₹89 Cr 569,903
↑ 79,903 Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 16 | APOLLOHOSP5% ₹70 Cr 92,826
↓ -34,429 Lupin Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 17 | 5002575% ₹64 Cr 330,887
↑ 27,647 HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 18 | HCG4% ₹59 Cr 942,453
↑ 276,332 Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 22 | TORNTPHARM4% ₹58 Cr 154,717
↑ 83,796 Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 22 | ASTERDM4% ₹58 Cr 956,991 Fortis Healthcare Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 20 | 5328434% ₹54 Cr 624,597
↓ -230,503 Alkem Laboratories Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 20 | ALKEM4% ₹54 Cr 106,435
↑ 31,186 Max Healthcare Institute Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 25 | MAXHEALTH4% ₹51 Cr 407,917
↑ 407,917 2. Nippon India Pharma Fund
Nippon India Pharma Fund
Growth Launch Date 5 Jun 04 NAV (02 Sep 25) ₹508.419 ↓ -0.74 (-0.15 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹8,737 on 31 Jul 25 Category Equity - Sectoral AMC Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd. Rating ☆☆ Risk High Expense Ratio 1.81 Sharpe Ratio 0.18 Information Ratio -0.51 Alpha Ratio -3.24 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 100 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Aug 20 ₹10,000 31 Aug 21 ₹14,796 31 Aug 22 ₹12,973 31 Aug 23 ₹16,262 31 Aug 24 ₹24,360 31 Aug 25 ₹23,858 Returns for Nippon India Pharma Fund
absolute basis
& more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate)
basis. as on 2 Sep 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -1.6% 3 Month 0.9% 6 Month 12.5% 1 Year -1.4% 3 Year 22.9% 5 Year 18.6% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 20.3% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 34% 2023 39.2% 2022 -9.9% 2021 23.9% 2020 66.4% 2019 1.7% 2018 3.6% 2017 7.6% 2016 -10.6% 2015 19.4% Fund Manager information for Nippon India Pharma Fund
Name Since Tenure Sailesh Raj Bhan 1 Apr 05 20.43 Yr. Kinjal Desai 25 May 18 7.28 Yr. Data below for Nippon India Pharma Fund as on 31 Jul 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Health Care 99.45% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 0.55% Equity 99.45% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 09 | SUNPHARMA12% ₹1,068 Cr 6,256,349 Divi's Laboratories Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 12 | DIVISLAB8% ₹660 Cr 1,000,031
↓ -70,000 Lupin Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 08 | 5002576% ₹518 Cr 2,683,991 Cipla Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 May 08 | 5000876% ₹497 Cr 3,200,000 Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 11 | DRREDDY6% ₹497 Cr 3,916,074
↑ 453,904 Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 20 | APOLLOHOSP6% ₹486 Cr 648,795 Medplus Health Services Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 22 | 5434274% ₹338 Cr 3,627,277 Vijaya Diagnostic Centre Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 21 | 5433504% ₹310 Cr 2,886,684 GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 22 | GLAXO3% ₹289 Cr 913,226
↓ -5,938 Gland Pharma Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 20 | GLAND3% ₹273 Cr 1,320,549
↓ -208,803 3. UTI Healthcare Fund
UTI Healthcare Fund
Growth Launch Date 28 Jun 99 NAV (02 Sep 25) ₹288.531 ↓ -0.17 (-0.06 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹1,146 on 31 Jul 25 Category Equity - Sectoral AMC UTI Asset Management Company Ltd Rating ☆ Risk High Expense Ratio 2.26 Sharpe Ratio 0.43 Information Ratio -0.06 Alpha Ratio 0.67 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Aug 20 ₹10,000 31 Aug 21 ₹14,183 31 Aug 22 ₹12,385 31 Aug 23 ₹15,093 31 Aug 24 ₹23,487 31 Aug 25 ₹24,105 Returns for UTI Healthcare Fund
absolute basis
& more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate)
basis. as on 2 Sep 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -0.9% 3 Month 4.3% 6 Month 16.3% 1 Year 3.1% 3 Year 25.2% 5 Year 18.6% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 14.9% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 42.9% 2023 38.2% 2022 -12.3% 2021 19.1% 2020 67.4% 2019 1.2% 2018 -7.5% 2017 6.2% 2016 -9.7% 2015 12.4% Fund Manager information for UTI Healthcare Fund
Name Since Tenure Kamal Gada 2 May 22 3.34 Yr. Data below for UTI Healthcare Fund as on 31 Jul 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Health Care 96.62% Basic Materials 1.03% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 2.34% Equity 97.66% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 06 | SUNPHARMA10% ₹113 Cr 661,016 Cipla Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jan 03 | 5000875% ₹62 Cr 400,000 Ajanta Pharma Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 17 | 5323315% ₹55 Cr 200,000
↓ -10,000 Lupin Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 25 | 5002574% ₹49 Cr 255,000
↑ 55,000 Procter & Gamble Health Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 20 | PGHL4% ₹47 Cr 80,283 Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 18 | DRREDDY4% ₹46 Cr 360,000 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 24 | 5322964% ₹41 Cr 190,000
↓ -60,000 Fortis Healthcare Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 20 | 5328433% ₹40 Cr 465,000 Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 21 | APOLLOHOSP3% ₹40 Cr 53,000 Gland Pharma Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 20 | GLAND3% ₹34 Cr 166,863
↓ -13,137 4. SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund
SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund
Growth Launch Date 31 Dec 04 NAV (01 Sep 25) ₹428.766 ↑ 1.33 (0.31 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹4,027 on 31 Jul 25 Category Equity - Sectoral AMC SBI Funds Management Private Limited Rating ☆☆ Risk High Expense Ratio 1.97 Sharpe Ratio 0.6 Information Ratio 0.38 Alpha Ratio 3.04 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-15 Days (0.5%),15 Days and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Aug 20 ₹10,000 31 Aug 21 ₹14,180 31 Aug 22 ₹12,913 31 Aug 23 ₹16,856 31 Aug 24 ₹24,718 31 Aug 25 ₹25,879 Returns for SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund
absolute basis
& more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate)
basis. as on 2 Sep 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -0.9% 3 Month 2.6% 6 Month 12% 1 Year 5% 3 Year 26.2% 5 Year 20.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 15.4% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 42.2% 2023 38.2% 2022 -6% 2021 20.1% 2020 65.8% 2019 -0.5% 2018 -9.9% 2017 2.1% 2016 -14% 2015 27.1% Fund Manager information for SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund
Name Since Tenure Tanmaya Desai 1 Jun 11 14.26 Yr. Data below for SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund as on 31 Jul 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Health Care 91.66% Basic Materials 5.96% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 2.31% Equity 97.62% Debt 0.07% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 17 | SUNPHARMA11% ₹461 Cr 2,700,000
↓ -100,000 Divi's Laboratories Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 12 | DIVISLAB7% ₹290 Cr 440,000 Max Healthcare Institute Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 21 | MAXHEALTH6% ₹262 Cr 2,100,000 Cipla Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 16 | 5000875% ₹187 Cr 1,200,000 Lonza Group Ltd ADR (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jan 24 | LZAGY4% ₹165 Cr 270,000
↓ -30,000 Lupin Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 23 | 5002574% ₹162 Cr 840,000 Gland Pharma Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 20 | GLAND4% ₹145 Cr 700,000
↑ 160,000 Mankind Pharma Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 23 | MANKIND4% ₹144 Cr 560,000 Acutaas Chemicals Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 24 | 5433493% ₹133 Cr 1,000,000 Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 22 | 5433083% ₹131 Cr 1,750,000
↓ -50,000
Pharma Mutual Funds generally track or take cues from the Nifty Pharma Index.
Key Highlights:
To more about index can be read on official website Nifty Pharma Index Document
Pharma funds are not for everyone. They are suitable if you are:
Not suitable for:
Here’s what most articles miss, but you should keep in mind:
Globally, populations are ageing, particularly in developed countries. Indian companies are well-placed to serve this demand.
Pharma is no longer just about medicines. Healthcare funds now capture hospitals, diagnostics, and preventive care businesses – expanding growth scope.
One USFDA ban can wipe out a stock’s value overnight. That’s why pharma funds spread risk across multiple companies.
The pandemic proved how pharma can outperform when healthcare demand spikes – but it also showed the need to stay cautious about hype-driven rallies.
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India’s healthcare system is unique — while public hospitals account for only 30% of total hospital beds, the rest come from the private sector. This means the majority of patients depend on private care, which directly drives higher demand for medicines, diagnostics, and health insurance.
For pharma investors, this is critical. Unlike other industries, demand here is not cyclical — healthcare is a necessity. The more patients turn to private care, the more they rely on affordable medicines, making pharmaceutical companies long-term revenue generators.
The imbalance also highlights another important point: out-of-pocket expenditure in India is one of the highest in the world, around 48–50% of total healthcare spend. This forces households to prioritise low-cost drugs, generic medicines, and insurance-backed treatments — exactly the segments where Indian pharma companies have a competitive advantage.
Add to this the rise of medical tourism (expected to reach $13 billion+ by 2026), demand for speciality care in tier-2 cities, and a growing middle class that spends more on preventive healthcare. All of these trends ensure steady tailwinds for pharma companies and, by extension, pharma mutual funds.
This trend explains why pharma mutual funds are seen as a defensive bet — they combine healthcare demand certainty with the growth potential of India’s expanding private medical sector. In other words, the gap between public and private healthcare isn’t just a social challenge — it’s an investment signal, and one that smart investors can capture through pharma-focused fund.
Pharma Mutual Funds give investors a chance to tap into one of India’s strongest industries – with global leadership in generics, a growing domestic market, and government support. However, these are high-risk, high-reward funds. Don’t allocate more than 10–15% of your portfolio to sectoral funds, and always combine them with diversified mutual funds for stability.
If you believe in the long-term growth of healthcare and India’s role as the “Pharmacy of the World,” pharma funds can be a smart addition to your portfolio.
A: Yes, since they are concentrated sector funds. Suitable only for those who can take high risk.
A: Diversified funds spread risk across sectors, pharma funds focus only on one. They can outperform in pharma bull runs but underperform otherwise.
A: At least 5 years. Short-term Investing in sector funds is not recommended.
A: Yes, SIPs help average out volatility in sectoral funds.
Please send list of funds which has the option of changing the sector of funds so that overall performance of mutual funds are always very good. Thanks and Regards
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