This article, published in the `Madras Musings` issue
dt. November 16-30,2016 is based on the Biography of Dr.P.C. Reddy, titled `HEALER`, written by Pranay Gupte
How
this happened is the story titled ` Healer- Dr.Prathap Chandra Reddy by ,
Pranay Gupte,(Portfolio Penguin). Pranay Gupte,the author of several books and
a columnist for Newsweek, tells the story based on interviews with hundreds of Dr.Reddy`s friends, relatives, colleagues and others who
crossed his path during the course of his illustrious career as a top
cardiologist and as a visionary who
built the Apollo group. `Healer` is a blend of
anecdote, reportage, analysis and narrative` The book has interesting information about how Dr.Reddy had to
manoeuvre through difficult bureaucratic and complex medical systems to realize
his dream of establishing the first corporate hospital in India.
*****************
Dr.Reddy
hails from a rich agricultural family in Aragonda in Chittoor district of
Andhra Pradesh, where his father was the village chief. Born as the fifth child among seven siblings Dr.Reddy was the
first in the family to move out of the
village. He came to study medicine in Chennai. He received his M.B.B.S
from Stanley Medical College in Chennai in 1957. In 1963 he went to Britain and later to U.S.A
where he worked in hospitals in Worcester, Massachusetes & Boston before
settling down in Springfield, Missourie, gaining a reputation as a heart
specialist. Seven years later , he and his family returned to India after
receiving a letter from his father `reminding him to come back to India to do
his duty to his Desam and Samajam` . He joined HM hospital in
Madras as the head of its cardiac division.
Soon
after his return in 1970 he lost both his father and mother and was disturbed that he could not do anything to save their
lives. But the real trigger to start a world class hospital happened when he
lost a thirty eight year old patient because the man could not mobilize the
resources for a heart bypass operation in the US.
What
started as a single 150 bed hospital in Chennai, inaugurated on 18th September, 1983
Apollo has now grown into one of the
largest healthcare provider in Asia with over 8500 beds at more than 50
hospitals in India and abroad. Giani
Zail Singh the then President of India who inaugurated the hospital called it `
An American hospital in India`
Among
the many firsts that the group can claim, here are a few:
Apollo
was the first corporate hospital in India to list its equity shares in Madras &
Bombay stock exchanges and later the National
Stock Exchange; First to have a multi-organ transplant in the country; a dedicated Linac based stereotactic radio
surgery unit outside the USA ; telemedicine facility in the country using satellite technology and a PET CT, the 124-slice CT scan.
Medvarsity
Online Limited was the first medical e-learning venture established in India;
Apollo Hospitals New Delhi became the first hospital in the group ( later to be
followed by other units) to receive accreditation from Joint Commission International (JCI), USA
considered a `Gold Standard` in healthcare accreditation.
Other
firsts include, Introduction of Master
Health Check up as a preventive and disease control measure,. `Hospital
on Wheels` and `Reach` hospital concept
leveraging technology to make available quality and affordable tertiary health
care accessible to BOP individuals in rural areas .
Dr.Reddy,
comes across as a visionary, a risk taker, a strict disciplinarian, a
transformational character and above all as a good, friendly soul who sincerely believed in the
`healing touch` of the doctor with his
patients. Whenever he meets a patient in his consulting room or during
his Rounds of the Wards he will never fail to put his arm around the patient
giving the reassurance to the patient that the doctor really cares for him.
This `Making one feel good` experience has been echoed by not only patients but by many others who have crossed his path. Any guest visiting
Dr.Reddy`s home would have to have something to eat and drink. Even their
drivers would receive the same hospitality.
Dr.
Reddy always emphasized that the key ingredient in health care is the personal
attention and qualifications of persons
who attend to the patients. Medical colleges and hospitals around the world are
taking note of the fact that technology isn`t the only thing that drives
success in health care. `Dr.Reddy and
Apollo have practiced `the high-tech/high touch` philosophy since Apollo opened
in 1983`. Other characteristics of of
Dr.Reddy which wins people over are his ever smiling face, his self assurance
and self confidence. According to B.A Kothandaraman,( of Viveks fame) one of
Dr.Reddy`s oldest friends, ` the important thing is that his success hasn`t
gone into his head.`
Dr.
Reddy also highlighted that while practice of medicine is at the heart of any
hospital, administration and management are key components as well. He often takes time
to meet Apollo`s management team and never fails to felicitate them on special occasions such
as birthdays.
One
of the biggest achievements of Dr.Reddy
has been his ability to persuade hundreds of highly qualified NRI doctors, each
a specialist in his field, having very
successful practices abroad to come back to India. He did this by promising
them the best technology support, equal to the best available in the world and a
congenial atmosphere with the freedom to pursue their practice without
interferences from the management. And of course a good remuneration package. No
wonder many of them have continued to be associated with the hospital since its
inception. Considered the `pillars` of
the system or `Tigers` as Dr.Reddy would like to refer to them, are big names like Dr M.R. Girinath, Dr. Mathew Kalarickal, Dr. I. Sathyamurthy-
all well known heart specialists - Dr.
M.K.Mani, the Nephrologist , the late
Dr. N.Rangabashyam a gastrointestinal
surgeon & Dr. Joseph V.Thachil, an Urologist.
Dr.Reddy
is a very spiritual man with implicit faith in God. His favourite deity is Hanuman.
He never fails to spend time every day
in his Puja Room and also makes it a point to regularly visit the Krishna, Mariamman temples located inside the Apollo Hospital premises. According to his
daughter Preetha, `Daddy gets a lot of strength from the Veda and the Mahabharata.
He meditates for an hour every morning. Daddy has the ability to focus on his
goal. His goal was better health care for India. There are other
characteristics that daddy exemplifies: leadership, integrity, strength and
wisdom`
Dr.Girinath,
who has worked closely with Dr.Reddy for over three decades says,` I`ve watched
Dr.Reddy develop from a struggling
businessman to a corporate giant. It is a story to be studied by anyone who
wants to know how knowledge, will power, determination and foresight and
intuition can be put to work in the pursuit of an ideal.`
Dr.Reddy
has also won several Awards for his enduring contribution to the health care scene in India including the
`Padma Bhushan` in 1991.
********************************
When
questioned by Gupte, if he considered himself a visionary, Reddy
replied,` Being a `visionary` simply
means observing your environment and thinking how you can make a
difference…. I believe that each one of us has it within us to become
transformational figures. As I look at my life, I can say truthfully that I did
the best that I could do. But that is not enough for me. There is more to be
done – much, much more. I feel blessed by the continuity that my four daughters
and their children and the Apollo family offer for Apollo. They are the
standard bearers of our brand. They are the keepers of my legacy and they will
all become leaders in their own right. Can a man in my place expect anything
more of his family?`
`Healer`
tells Dr.Reddy`s inspirational story like it has never been told before.
Footnote:
Outside
the Apollo world, horse racing and card games are Reddy`s passion
