Born in Kinnigoli, Karnataka, on May 8, 1953, Dr. Devi Shetty is a ray of hope in the field of heart surgery. His rise from a small Karnataka village to prominence as one of the world’s top heart surgeons is evidence of his unwavering commitment and inventive spirit.
Being the eighth child in a large family of nine, Shetty was motivated to become a cardiac surgeon upon learning about Christiaan Barnard, the South African surgeon who carried out the first heart transplant ever. The path for a career devoted to improving cardiac care in India was laid by this early inspiration.
Shetty finished his MBBS and post-graduate studies in General Surgery at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore, having started his study at St. Aloysius School in Mangaluru. With an FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons in England, he improved his abilities even more. After coming back to India in 1989, Shetty assumed a key position at the B.M. Birla Hospital in Kolkata, where in 1992 he carried out the nation’s first neonatal heart surgery.
When Shetty established Narayana Hrudayalaya (NH) in Bommasandra, Bangalore, in 2001, his career took off. His goal was to lower the cost of high-quality cardiac care and increase its accessibility for everyone. Shetty has decreased the cost of heart procedures by utilizing economies of scale and implementing cost-cutting strategies. His strategy comprised executing a large number of surgeries, making efficient use of resources, and simplifying processes. For example, his concept cut the cost of coronary bypass surgery, which used to be over $3,000, to about $1,583 with the goal of cutting prices even further to $800 within ten years.
Global attention was drawn to this novel methodology, and Shetty’s assembly-line approach to cardiac surgery led to comparisons to “Henry Ford” on numerous occasions. His institutions, which conduct 30 to 35 surgeries every day as opposed to one or two in many American hospitals, have come to represent reasonably priced healthcare. In rural India, he is regarded as a “Bypasswale Baba” for his efforts in granting life-saving procedures to people who would not otherwise be able to pay for them.
Shetty has an impact on areas outside than cardiac care. Additionally, he was the driving force behind Karnataka’s Yeshasvini health insurance program, which offers low-cost medical treatment to underprivileged farmers. His dedication to enhancing underprivileged people’s access to healthcare is demonstrated by this project, which currently serves 4 million people.
Shetty has won multiple accolades for his outstanding work, including India’s highest civilian decorations, the Padma Bhushan (2012) and the Padma Shri (2004). His creative work has been displayed on international platforms, such as the Netflix documentary series “The Surgeon’s Cut,” emphasizing his commitment to offering high-quality, reasonably priced healthcare.
The life of Dr. Devi Shetty has had a significant influence on millions of people in addition to being one of personal success. His unwavering quest for accessible healthcare has revolutionized cardiac care in India and established a standard for medical facilities across the globe. His work serves as an inspiration to many, demonstrating that great strides in healthcare may be made with vision, commitment, and creativity, improving the lives of countless people worldwide.
