A New Chapter in Indian Healthcare
In a world where healthcare is often caught between the extremes of under-resourced government hospitals and profit-driven corporate giants, one pediatrician dared to reimagine what compassionate, ethical, and affordable care could look like. That visionary is Dr. Supraja Chandrasekar, Co-Creator and Director of Pediatric Services at DHEE Hospitals Healthcare, a 207-bed multi-specialty facility on Kanakapura Road, Bengaluru.
With more than two decades of experience in pediatric intensive care, and a career spanning the UK’s revered hospitals to India’s busiest institutions, Dr. Supraja has seen firsthand the gaps that persist in healthcare delivery. Her response? Building a doctor-driven, patient-first hospital model that bridges affordability, quality, and empathy.
“There was a dream, a strong urge to bridge the gap for the larger middle class that sought ethical, modern healthcare treatment that was affordable and delivered in a personalized way,” she reflects.
From Critical Care to Critical Change
Dr. Supraja’s professional journey began with an unwavering commitment to children’s health. After rigorous training and experience both in India and the United Kingdom, she pursued a career in critical care and secured the national first rank in the Fellowship course in Pediatric Intensive Care conducted by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. She worked the next decade to gain expertise and then build one of Bengaluru’s most robust pediatric centres.
Her reputation for blending clinical excellence with compassionate care soon made her a trusted figure not only among patients but also among families who often praised her for her sensitivity and clarity in communication.
Yet, behind the accolades and awards, including the Excellence in Pediatric Services 2023 by Vijaya Karnataka, was a growing discomfort:
“The private sector dependent on healthcare administration by non-doctors could never live up to the ethics of true healthcare delivery. And the government sector, with minimal resources, was an overwhelmed system with multiple barriers to bring in transformation at the bed side,” she says.
This realization became the seed for DHEE Hospitals Healthcare, co-created with her husband, entrepreneur-surgeon Dr. Chandrasekar Chikkamuniyappa, in October 2023.
The Patient Who Changed Everything
Sometimes, one story captures an entire movement. For Dr. Supraja, it was a young girl battling pneumonia.
“She was admitted to the Pediatric ICU, fighting for her life against a deadly strain of MRSA,” she recalls. The family, uninsured and from a modest background, drained every resource to keep her in care. Child was critically ill and took relentless team effort to bring her out of life support machinery. We knew now she would survive but needed extended antibiotics and other supports. The prolonged treatment costs became unbearable. Eventually, family transferred her to a government hospital. Sick children are fragile, within a day of transfer she started deteriorating despite the best being given at the new centre, she needed more vigilant monitoring & advanced care but with an already overwhelmed system she continued to sink.
Within days, the child succumbed.
“That incident left a deep void within me. Why does the private sector have to be so unaffordable to the masses? Could we do better?” she remembers.
It was this haunting experience, coupled with her husband’s determination, that solidified their resolve: to build a hospital where affordability and advanced care were not mutually exclusive.
DHEE Hospitals: A Doctor-Driven Model
At its core, DHEE Hospitals Healthcare is different because it is built and run by practicing doctors. DHEE is derived from a Sanskrit word that has its origin in the powerful Gayathri Mantra. DHEE [ धी ] means the culmination of mind body and soul; and only in this union we find true health and where there is health there lies happiness. Hence the tag line of the hospital is “Healthier Happier & Together.”
The values of the organisation are captured in the acronym DHEE: Dignity, Holistic Care, Empathy, and Excellence.
The hospital offers:
- Personalized, ethical care delivered by doctors who put patients first, always.
- Tertiary-level services at par with corporate hospitals, without corporate pricing.
- Flexibility in accessibility tailoring care models to suit different socioeconomic groups.
- Community partnerships with NGOs, Rotary, and grassroots organizations to extend care beyond the hospital walls.
“Our vision was to create a midsize hospital that stands tall among corporate giants, not in cost, but in trust, ethics, and outcomes,” Dr. Supraja explains.
Building Brick by Brick: Challenges and Resilience
The journey to launching DHEE Hospitals Healthcare was anything but easy.
- Location woes: After finalizing three different sites and even paying advances, deals fell through repeatedly.
- Regulatory maze: Permissions and approvals consumed months, testing patience at every step.
- Financing stress: Securing bank loans and convincing lenders of their mission required relentless perseverance.
- Vendor struggles: From equipment procurement to infrastructure delays, each stage brought new hurdles.
- Talent acquisition: Finding like-minded doctors and nurses who shared their ethos of patient-first care was perhaps the toughest challenge.
“Every step presented a struggle, from location and permissions to finance, vendors, and manpower. What helped us overcome these hurdles was perseverance, patience, and an unwavering belief in our mission,” she says.
A Milestone Blessed
The defining moment came at the inauguration of DHEE Hospitals Healthcare.
It was not just the ribbon-cutting that mattered. It was the presence of Sri Sri Ravishankar Guruji, whose spiritual blessing fulfilled a long-cherished wish. Alongside him stood Dr. Gururaj Karajgi, a revered educationist and mentor, who had even suggested the hospital’s name, “DHEE,” inspired by the Gayatri Mantra.
“Having them both there was deeply meaningful. It combined spiritual blessings with intellectual guidance. It was validation that we were on the right path,” Dr. Supraja shares.
Looking Ahead: The Next Five Years
For now, the immediate priority is stability. “The first three to four years are about strengthening operations and ensuring excellence in patient care,” she explains.
But the vision is ambitious:
- Five hospitals in seven years carefully expanding without compromising values.
- A 1,000-bed flagship institution to serve as a hub for advanced care, research, and education.
- Continued focus on accessible, ethical healthcare that bridges affordability with cutting-edge medicine.
Beyond the Hospital Walls
Dr. Supraja’s impact extends far beyond DHEE Hospitals Healthcare. She has been deeply involved in preventive and community healthcare initiatives for over a decade.
- SETME (Student Empowerment Through Medical Education) program has educated 11,000+ children on health awareness, nutrition, and emergency life skills.
- Eat Play Connect Right! lifestyle program for kids has been implemented in multiple schools.
- Served on the State Health & Family Welfare Department’s Pediatric Covid Committee.
- Mentored young doctors in government hospitals and contributed to pediatric training nationwide.
Her efforts have earned recognition from the Nirbhaya Award in 2014 to continued acknowledgment in media and professional circles.
Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
From her journey, three lessons stand out:
- Purpose fuels perseverance. “When the vision is for the greater good, the universe aligns to make it happen,” she notes.
- Doctor-driven models matter. True healthcare reform, she believes, must be guided by those who understand patient realities firsthand.
- Patience is power. Delays, rejections, and obstacles are inevitable, but resilience transforms them into stepping stones.
“When the fruit doesn’t lie in material benefits but dwells in the joy of patient healing and making a difference in the community; then the possibilities are limitless. Material benefits are only needed for sustainability.”
Remembering the words of the revered Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy —
“Intelligence and capability are not enough. There must also be the joy of doing something beautiful.”
Her story is a reminder that entrepreneurship is not always about unicorn valuations. Sometimes, it is about redefining industries with ethics and empathy.
A Personal Touch
Amidst all her professional achievements, Dr. Supraja is also a proud mother of two daughters, Anoushka (20) and Anvita (14), and credits her husband for being her constant inspiration. Her parents are her source and her mother-in-law an unwavering support. Her ability to balance roles — clinician, entrepreneur, teacher, mother — adds depth to her leadership style.
Conclusion: Building Health, Building Hope
At a time when healthcare often feels impersonal and transactional, DHEE Hospitals Healthcare represents a refreshing alternative—one where patients come first, always.
Dr. Supraja’s journey is proof that with conviction, compassion, and courage, it is possible to reimagine industries that seem unchangeable.
As she puts it:
“Our mission is simple yet profound, to make people healthier and happier.”
Connect with DHEE Hospitals and Dr. Supraja
Follow their journey, learn more about their initiatives, or reach out for collaboration:
Website: www.dheehospitals.com
LinkedIn (Dr. Supraja): Dr. Supraja Chandrasekar
LinkedIn (DHEE Hospitals): DHEE Hospitals
Instagram (DHEE Hospitals): @dheehospitals
Instagram (Dr. Supraja): @dr_supraja_chandrasekar_dhee
If you are an entrepreneur, policymaker, or healthcare professional, take inspiration from this story and consider how your own work can be both impactful and ethical.
