The doctor who was the personal physician of a saint who inspired him to work towards making healthcare affordable in India. Dr Devi Shetty is one of the foremost medical minds in India, leading cardiac surgeon, billionaire businessman and philanthropist. Having first come in touch with Mother Teresa in 1984 when she suffered a heart attack, Dr Shetty was her personal physician for the last five years of her life.
“Mother was an inspiring force behind Narayana Hrudayalaya,” Dr Shetty once wrote in a column recollecting how she touched him and inspired him to make a difference in the life of the poor. He founded Narayana Hrudayalaya in 2001, which later became Narayana Health, one of India’s largest hospital chains with 47 healthcare centres and a market cap of over Rs 15,000 crore.
In a long and decorated career, Shetty has made significant contributions to healthcare in the country. Born in a village in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, Dr Shetty decided to become a heart surgeon in childhood itself after reading about the world’s first heart transplant surgery. He studied medicine in the Kasturba Medical College in Manipal and then went on to get training and work as a heart surgeon in the UK and the USA, gaining experience in the cutting edge healthcare environment before bringing back his knowledge to India. After completing his studies, he worked as a cardiac surgeon in the UK and USA, where he gained valuable experience in the field.
Narayana Health, which has over 7,000 beds in more than 30 hospitals across India has been recognized for providing innovative and high-quality healthcare at affordable prices. In 2015, Shetty took Narayana Health to a successful IPO. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, one of India’s richest women, also holds a stake in his company. Dr Shetty has been honoured with several accolades including the highest Indian civilian awards Padma Shri (2004) and Padma Bhushan (2012). He has also been recognised by Time magazine among the “50 most influential people in healthcare”. Dr Shetty also helped in designing Karnataka's micro-insurance program Yeshasvini scheme. He commands a net worth of over Rs 9,800 crore ($1.2 billion), making him one of the richest doctors in India.
