Leading from the Front

Renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon who conducted country's first paediatric heart transplant in a private set-up, Dr KM Cherian started Frontier Lifeline in 2004

Dr KM Cherian (65) Chairman, Frontier Lifeline, Chennai

Born at Kayamkulamin in Kerala in the year 1942, Dr KM Cherian studied at the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal and later at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Why an entrepreneur?

"I am not an entrepreneur. I am a medical professional, who is specialised, well-trained and qualified in cardiac surgery," says Dr Cherian, humbly. "I have never embarked on any endeavour out of a spirit of enterprise or commercial gain. Entrepreneurship is new for me because there have been no entrepreneurs or professionals in my family tree, for the last four generations. I believe that healthcare is an industry but care of the sick is not an industry, and I have been focussed at being a successful practicing cardiac surgeon till today," he adds.

Before being an entrepreneur

He had an opportunity to migrate to Australia as early as 1970 and was holding a green card from January 1975. He was trained and qualified in Australia as well as trained in New Zealand and the US and had the unique opportunity of working under some of the world's pioneers in cardiac surgery, namely, Sir Barratt Boyes, Dr John W Kirklin and Dr Albert Starr.

Despite being offered highly lucrative positions abroad, in 1975 he decided to come back and settle in India as an adhoc Assistant Medical Officer in Railways. "I decided to settle down and initiated the development of Madras Medical Mission (MMM), a charitable hospital in Chennai, and was appointed as the Vice President and Life Time Director of MMM from 1987 to 2004. I also conceptualised and executed the Institute of Cardio Vascular Surgery as well as the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS)," says he.

His transition from the Railways Hospital to MMM was with the larger aim of helping many more people than he could otherwise reach as his contributions were limited to railways employees. "PIMS was started with the aim to impart world class medical knowledge to our future medical fraternity as not many will have the opportunity to attend the best medical universities as I was fortunate to benefit from. I wanted PIMS to be able to provide the best medical education in the country, but I withdrew my involvement in 2004, before my aims could be realised, due to differences in polices and philosophies with the governing body members," he informs.

The first move

He started the 120-bed Frontier Lifeline in 2004. "Good friends came to my aid and donated in a variety of ways through money, supplies and more importantly, emotional support and reassurance. Professional acquaintances from abroad supplied equipment which helped us get back on our feet," says he. .

"I am grateful to my patients who have loyally supported me through this major upheaval. Their encouragement and caring made me realise that a good practice is not established by fancy infrastructure but with constant patient support. Another factor which held me in good stead was the support of my colleagues who stood by me. Cardiac surgery is intrinsically dependant on teamwork. This major factor was overlooked by my earlier institute and came as a rude shock to the so called management during the exodus which occurred following my departure," says he.

Having started an independent institution since then, he had the opportunity to help start open heart surgery practices in different countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Bangladesh and currently, in Pakistan, near Lahore, for the Tahir Heart Institute. "Last month we also started the Open Heart Surgery Programme in Gujarat," he informs.

Over the years

Over 13,000 in-patients have been treated at Frontier Lifeline so far, out of which 1,223 are foreign patients from 32 countries. "Revenue has steadily improved and has enabled us to plan for expansion," says Dr Cherian. The cardiac unit at Parumala was developed using the existing hospital building of St Gregorios Mission Hospital and with a bank loan to purchase the equipment. Funds were also raised for this effort.

Frontier has always in the frontier of research. Frontier Tissueline, the in-house R&D Unit of Frontier Lifeline, has established the first-of-its-kind, research bioscience laboratory at TICEL Bio-park, Chennai. Research and applications in stem cell, the making of viable scaffolds of autografts and umbilical cord blood storage constitute some of the core activities at this unit. Bio-informatics and computational biology are recent additions to the activities undertaken here. This unit is also dedicated to undertake advanced research in tissue engineering and biological cardiovascular implants.

Contribution to healthcare

With more than 27,000 operations under his belt, he has pioneered the first heart transplant in India after the legislation of brain death, the first bilateral lung transplant, the first pediatric heart transplant, first successful coronary artery graft in India, the first auto transplant, first internal mammary artery graft in the country, mitral valve replacement for endomyocardial fibrosis in India, first successful bilateral internal mammary graft and the first heart and lung transplant. With phenomenal experience and far-sightedness, he is the first and only Indian member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Awards

He is the recipient of the prestigious Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) degree awarded by King George's Medical University, Lucknow during its third convocation. He was awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1991. Cherian was honorary surgeon to the President of India from 1990 to 1993. He received a Wockhardt Medical Excellence Award in 2005, through a panel organised by Harvard Medical School. Dr Cherian is the only one from India selected for the unique honour of having his name inscribed in stone during the recent World Congress conducted by the World Society of Cardio Thoracic Surgeons (WSCTS) on the Island of KOS, Greece.

Fears and apprehensions

"Nil. It has been seen all over the world, whatever may be your profession, if one is ordained to do certain things, no human force can stop you and I believe that destiny has guided me thus far," says he.

Mistakes made and lessons learnt

"Keep your friends close and value them; keep your enemies closer and be wary of them. Trust has to be tempered with caution," says he.

Any formal degree in management?

"No. Only experience and common sense with a lateral train of thought in my case," says he.

Tips for entrepreneurship

"Sincerity, hard work, comradeship and technology," says he.

An entrepreneur that he admires in healthcare

Dr Prathap C Reddy.

The road ahead

Frontier Lifeline is coming up with Frontier Mediville, a fully integrated medical village, on the outskirts of Chennai.