Past President 2011-2014
Dr. Prathap C Reddy
Founder President and Emeritus Advisor – GAPIO
A compassionate humanitarian, dedicated to bringing world-class healthcare within the economic and geographic reach of millions of patients’ best describes Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder President and Emeritus Advisor of Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and also the Chairman of the Apollo Hospitals Group.
Leaving behind a flourishing medical practice in Boston, USA, Dr. Reddy returned to India in 1970, at the behest of his father. The dream of making world-class medical available in India spurred him to set up India’s first corporate hospitals – Apollo Hospitals in Chennai.
Starting from a 150-bedded Hospital in 1983, Apollo has since continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, clinical services and cutting edge research. The hospitals have served over 32 million patients who came from 120 countries.
Dr Reddy’s pioneering successes include the initiation of a change towards preventive care, by pushing for a new standard in assessing and diagnosing India’s health to fight the triple terrors of diabetes, heart diseases and cancer through preventive health checks. Telemedicine, as in the world’s first V-SAT enabled village, and health insurance like the Aragonda Re. 1/day scheme, were other successful pilots. Dr Reddy had undertaken pioneering work in bringing about institutional changes in the private healthcare infrastructure by establishing Apollo Institutes of Nursing Education, Hospital Administration, Clinical Research and a large number of Paramedical Programs.
While being the President of GAPIO Dr Reddy holds the credit of organising a free plastic surgery camp in Apollo Hospital, Bilaspur – Chhattisgarh, India.
During his duration as President of GAPIO he has started programmes like ‘Total Health – Aragonda’; which is started in his hometown to make a study on a total population size of 50,000 people.
He has also taken initiative to connect the physicians to India by launching web portal known as swaasthindia.comin collaboration with MOH-government of India, which facilitates physicians from abroad to come to India and serve the people of their country of origin.
His mantra has been to identify the need of India, and fill the lacuna through a stretch of innovation, technology and commitment.
Dr Reddy has been conferred with numerous awards from organizations all across the world. He was conferred with second highest civilian award, the ‘Padma Vibhushan’ by the Government of India as an acknowledgement of his untiring pursuit for excellence in healthcare
A champion for the underprivileged, Dr. Reddy spearheaded philanthropic initiatives such as ‘Save a Child’s Heart Initiative’ (SACHi), the CURE Foundation for cancer care, ‘Distance Healthcare Advancement’ (DISHA), and many others that have touched the lives of several hundred thousand children, differently-abled people, cancer and brain trauma patients.
