There are many posts on social media showing that there is one doctor for every 834 people. But here’s the catch: that includes AYUSH practitioners. When we count only allopathic doctors, the ratio drops sharply to one for every 1,366 Indians.
In this episode, Dr Vikram Venkateswaran unpacks what this means for India’s healthcare system, explores which states are leading and lagging, and examines the real-world impact on access to quality care. From the policy gap to the human story behind the numbers, this conversation dives deep into why the doctor shortage is one of India’s silent health crises — and what needs to change.
🎧 Tune in to understand the numbers behind the headlines — and the urgent need to strengthen our medical workforce for a healthier India.
Listen to the earlier podcasts
Digital Transformation in Hospitals: Driving Growth https://open.spotify.com/episode/62uvkThxbunmnvJQJSxSBw?si=b168f4f48a80419f
From Founders to Funders: Rethinking Hospitals and Healthcare Supply Chain - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3a9YqYxtw9UjI8MPesCGzb?si=a28805c164714779
In this episode of Healthcare India Podcast, Dr Vikram Venkateswaran speaks with Sudeep Dey, a marathoner and healthcare technology leader, on how fitness, leadership, and digital transformation intersect in India’s evolving healthcare ecosystem. From AI in hospitals to the changing role of the CIO, Sudeep shares insights on building resilient, data-driven healthcare systems for 2030 and beyond.
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s already shaping healthcare delivery, diagnostics, and operations. But here’s the truth: adopting AI isn’t just a technology challenge, it’s a leadership challenge.
In this episode, Vikram Venkateswaran unpacks three key lessons from The AI-Savvy Leader by David De Cremer and explores what they mean for healthcare:
1️⃣ Why leaders must start with purpose, not technology.
2️⃣ How to adopt a humans-plus-AI mindset that empowers clinicians.
3️⃣ The importance of continuous learning and accountability to keep AI safe, effective, and trusted.
The stakes in healthcare are higher than anywhere else—patient lives and public trust. This episode offers a roadmap for leaders who want to move beyond hype and ensure AI truly serves patients, clinicians, and systems.
👉 If you’re a healthcare leader looking to make sense of AI and its real-world impact, this one’s for you.
In this episode, Dr Vikram Venkateswaran chats with Madan Sampat, VP of Supply Chain and Projects at HCG, who shares his journey across healthcare, finance, and leadership. We explore the realities of hospital operations, resilient supply chains, pricing, and capital markets — as well as his advice for the next generation of healthcare entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re an investor, entrepreneur, or healthcare professional, this episode is packed with insights that can shape your decisions in India’s evolving healthcare ecosystem.
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, Dr Vikram Venkateswaran explores the evolving landscape of healthcare funding in 2025. While global deal volumes are declining, mega-deals and acquisitions—particularly in AI-enabled healthcare—are keeping funding values high.
Closer to home, India has emerged as a healthcare investment hotspot. Healthtech funding reached $828M in H1 2025, with private equity investments of nearly ₹4,900 crore across 33 deals in Q2 alone.
Key highlights from this episode include:
The $775M Manipal–Sahyadri Hospitals acquisition ahead of Manipal’s IPO.
PB Healthcare’s $218M seed round led by General Catalyst—an ambitious integration of care delivery and insurance.
ADIA’s $200M investment into Meril Micro Life Sciences, bolstering India’s medical device exports.
Advent International’s $175M investment in Felix Pharmaceuticals signals rising interest in animal health.
Truemeds’ $90M Series C round to consolidate the e-pharmacy space.
Dr Vikram shares strategic insights on what these deals mean for healthcare founders, investors, and the future of Indian healthcare. The key message: capital is available, but it’s concentrated—only scalable models with strong ROI and patient acquisition clarity will thrive.
🎧 Tune in to understand where healthcare funding is headed and how it will shape the sector in the years to come.
Gut Health Demystified – Healthcare India Podcast
What does it really mean to have a “healthy gut”? Why iseveryone suddenly talking about the gut microbiome? And how is cutting-edge technology—from DNA sequencing to AI—changing the way we understand our inner ecosystem?
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast—rankedamong the Top 100 Podcasts in India—Dr. Vikram Venkateswaran takes you on a beginner-friendly journey through the science and myths of gut health. From the basics of the microbiome to the latest breakthroughs in microbiome therapeutics, to practical ways you can support your gut every day, this episode blends science, storytelling, and simple takeaways.
Whether you’re a healthcare professional, an entrepreneur,Or simply curious about your health, this conversation will leave you with a fresh perspective on how trillions of tiny allies inside you shape your well-being.
Also, here is the link to the recognition, Healthcare IndiaPodcast ranked about the top 100 podcasts in India by FeedSpot. https://podcast.feedspot.com/india_health_podcasts/
🎙️ Subscribe to theHealthcare India Podcast and stay ahead of the curve on health, technology, and the future of care.
After a painful slip disc, my doctor prescribed swimming—not as a hobby, but as a healing strategy. In this episode, I explore why swimming is one of the best isotonic exercises for people over 40, helping to build muscle, protect joints, improve posture, and reverse the impact of a sedentary lifestyle. Discover how water workouts support bone health, strengthen the core, decompress the spine, and offer a low-impact yet powerful alternative to high-intensity training. Whether you’re recovering from injury, battling back pain, or looking to age actively, this episode will inspire you to dive in and make swimming your lifelong wellness habit.
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, Dr. Vikram Venkateswaran explores how healthcare startup founders can identify and navigate risk using the Known/Unknown Framework—a strategy model inspired by military intelligence. Learn how to apply this mental model to clinical operations, market strategy, and policy awareness, and why traditional traction metrics won’t protect you from blind spots.
Suppose you’re building a digital health, medtech, or healthcare SaaS venture in India. In that case, this episode will help you de-risk your model, stay ahead of regulatory shocks, and build for resilience. Tune in to future-proof your healthcare startup journey.
As always, do write in to me with your thoughts and comments at contact@healthcare-in-india.net
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, Dr. Vikram Venkateswaran unpacks one of the most critical (and often misunderstood) topics in the healthtech startup journey: raising capital.
Why do over 90% of healthcare startups in India fail to move beyond Series A? From regulatory readiness and clinical validation to GTM strategies and founder team dynamics, Dr. Vikram shares candid stories, investor insights, and practical advice to help founders scale the right way.
You'll hear:
What healthcare investors look for
Real-world fundraising stories from India’s digital health space
How to build your “proof deck” instead of a pitch deck
Why your team, metrics, and market strategy matter more than hype
Whether you should raise from family offices or healthcare-focused VCs
Whether you're launching a diagnostics platform, a medtech solution, or a digital therapeutic venture, this episode will help you become fundraise-ready.
As always do reach out to me with your comments or suggestions on Linkedin or X (@drvikram)
If you want to write to me then please mail me on drvikram@healthcare-in-india.net.
Curious how wearable health trackers can help you unlock better sleep, fitness, and longevity — no medical degree required?
In this insightful episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, host Dr. Vikram explores the top 5 health metrics every non-medical user should track using wearables like the Ultrahuman Ring, Oura, Garmin, and more.
Discover how to monitor your Sleep Score, Sleep Debt, HRV (Heart Rate Variability), VO₂ Max, and Biological Age to boost recovery, reduce stress, and live healthier.
Whether you’re a biohacker, fitness enthusiast, or simply looking to optimise your wellbeing, this episode is packed with practical tips and personal insights to help you turn wearable analytics into real health gains.
As always, looking forward to your comments and suggestions
Please write to us at contact@Healthcare-in-india.net
or reach out on twitter @doc_health
In this episode, we look at how one man's vision created India's largest and comprehensive cancer care center. HCG or Healthcare Global Enterprises has grown from its inception in Bangalore to a national chain with 25 comprehensive cancer care centers.
Learn more in this episode. As alwways do reach out to us on contact@healthcare-in-india.net if you have some comments or suggestions.
Stay healthy and own your health.
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, we discuss a simple yet profound topic that impacts us all - Sleep.
I discuss deep sleep, REM Sleep, what sleep deprivation does to you,u and finally, how important sleep is for leaders.
A lot of what I discuss is from the book ' Why We Sleep' by Matthew Walker. You must read this more a personal guide- this is the link to the book on Amazon.
https://amzn.in/d/aYrUPdq
As always, looking forward to a discussion. Please feel free to write in with your suggestions. As always, sleep well, feel better, Own Your Health.
Welcome to another episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, where I try to summarise the key learnings from the book 'Outlive by Peter Attia.
The book breaks down 4 important pillars that are important for increasing the healthspan of your life
1) Exercise
2) Diet
3) Sleep
4) Emotional Wellbeing.
As always would love to hear your views on the same.
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, season 3 episode 5. We will look at the key aspects to scale the AI programs in hospitals.
Let's understand key aspects like use case selection, ownership and maturity of organisations.
Let's continue this discussion, and would love to hear your views on the same.
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, I explore the connection between sports and health and how the growth of sports in India is leading to the foundation of a healthier India.
As always, I would be happy to hear from you, do write to us on my website www.Healthcare-in-india.net, or give me a shout on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@drvikram, Email me at drvikram@healthcare-in-india.net
Welcome to episode 2 Season 3 of the Healthcare India Podcast. We look at the human capital transformation of the healthcare ecosystem. How can we work together to build innovative solutions for Indian patients and consumers?
Also do refer my book Own Your Health, I have shared the link of book on Amazon.in. Do read it for more insights on how to manage your health- https://amzn.to/3f5LjcS
As always, I would be happy to hear from you, do write to us on my website www.Healthcare-in-india.net, or give me a shout on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@drvikram, Email me at drvikram@healthcare-in-india.net
Welcome to our podcast where we delve into the pressing issues shaping the healthcare landscape. Today, we shine a spotlight on the critical shortage of nursing professionals in India and its far-reaching implications.
Also do refer my book Own Your Health, I have shared the link of book on Amazon.in. Do read it for more insights on how to manage your health- https://amzn.to/3f5LjcS
As always, I would be happy to hear from you, do write to us on my website www.Healthcare-in-india.net, or give me a shout on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@drvikram, Email me at drvikram@healthcare-in-india.net
In this episode of the Healthcare India Podcast, we look at the findings of the household monthly per capita consumption expenditure report. How this impacts the spend on healthcare and what are the implications for the country. As always would love to hear your views on the same.
Welcome to episode 8 Season 2 of the healthcare India Podcast. Let's look at some key figures from the registrar general of India, on the Maternal Mortality Rate in India.
The recent figures out in November 2022 show that the numbers have dropped to 97 per 1,00,000 live births. States like Kerala have come down to less than 30 per 1,00,000 live births, while the southern states are going strong, there are still states like Assam where the MMR is close to 200. Refer to this link for more details.
Also do refer to my book Own Your Health, I have shared the link to the book on Amazon. in. Do read it for more insights on how to manage your health- https://amzn.to/3f5LjcS
As always, I would be happy to hear from you, do write to us on my website www.Healthcare-in-india.net, or give me a shout on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@drvikram, Email me at drvikram@healthcare-in-india.net
“Information including any views/ opinions expressed in this material are purely my personal and the same do not in any manner reflect any thought/s or position/s official or otherwise of any agency or any particular organization of which I am associated or was or will be part of.”
Welcome to episode 7 Season 2 of the healthcare India Podcast today we take a trip back in history to talk about Jeevika, the ‘Physician King’ born in Rajgir in the 5th century BCE, Jeevika rose to become the physician of King Bimbisara of Magadha and had Gautam Buddha as one of his patients. We also get a small glimpse of the medical education system in those days rendered by the great Taxashila University. Learn more about his life in this episode.
Also do refer to my book Own Your Health, I have shared the link to the book on Amazon. in. Do read it for more insights on how to manage your health- https://amzn.to/3f5LjcS
As always, I would be happy to hear from you, do write to us on my website www.Healthcare-in-india.net, or give me a shout on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@drvikram, Email me at drvikram@healthcare-in-india.net