Prathap Reddy of Apollo

(25 May ’14)

          I came across this 520 page hard-bound book by Pranay Gupte which I thought was a good read about private healthcare in India. The cover has a portrait of Dr Prathap Chandra Reddy, founder-owner of Apollo Hospitals and Reddy’s Laboratories, and says “Healer….and the Transformation of India.” I don’t know about the transformation of the country, but certainly as far as corporatization of healthcare goes, in India there has been life before and after Apollo came into the picture.

          The book gives an insight into what life in rural Andhra Pradesh was (or possibly still is) like for the very rich. Dr Reddy was born wealthy and privileged. His education and work experience in the USA prepared him to bring ‘home’ technology and systems we never thought could exist here.

          Importantly, the book brings out how difficult things were for an entrepreneur who came in with a good commercial idea. The government was geared to discourage people who brought in novel ideas. It took long years of perseverance to make any dream come true. In Dr Pratap’s case, it also paved the way for other players like Escorts and Asian Heart to come into the field of non-charitable trust hospitals. He knew the time was ripe for bringing in private healthcare into India. He introduced the concept of super-specialty healthcare and preventive healthcare, too.

          There was a time when private hospitals were but family-run nursing homes. The few big hospitals were run by family-owned charitable trusts. No one had thought of or brought in the concept of having a profit-oriented hospital. People were willing to pay good money for high quality diagnosis, latest treatments and the comforts of a good room, too.

          Having worked in a tertiary-care multi-specialty hospital, I know how difficult it is to woo back good talent from abroad and retain it in India. It’s not just the money, but the work environment that has to be conducive to keeping the brains and skills here. According to biographer Gupte, Dr Reddy managed to keep his large team content and productive by giving them professional freedom, an enviable income and the latest technology. Apollo hospitals now have a presence in many Indian states and abroad as well. Apollo was the first to reverse brain-drain. Access to quality, affordable healthcare became a reality. Dr Reddy changed people’s attitude towards healthcare. Amongst the network of nationwide private hospital systems, Apollo is the world’s largest.

          Over and over again, the writer has stressed the warmth and sense of belonging that the Apollo staff shares with the Reddy family. All four of Dr Reddy’s daughters are involved in the ‘business’. This is a typically Indian phenomenon, where all staff are helped out when they are in need. In exchange, unalloyed loyalty is expected.

          So it is not surprising the author has interviewed very few ex-Apollo people. Once a person leaves, s/he isn’t encouraged (and I’m putting it mildly) to return. Also, other than a fleeting reference to Dr Reddy’s explosive temper, Gupte has not mentioned a single flaw in the healthcare leader’s character. As a reader, I felt there was more adulation than required. But the author has also repeatedly pointed out Dr Reddy’s connect with patients, ward-boys and consultants alike. That’s a rare quality. Unusually, Dr Reddy also welcomes competition, says the biographer.

          Priced at Rs 899, this book should be read by anyone interested in a) the history of healthcare in India in recent times, b) biographies, c) wanting to start up a private hospital of their own or d) what life is like in a corporate healthcare environment.

          Books like these document history, encourage future leaders and should be compulsory reading for any youngster aspiring to make a dream come true. Alongside, one must have an equally well-researched book on the public (general) hospitals across India. I didn’t come across any, but even a cursory homework done over the internet gave me an insight into what’s happening in healthcare in India. Not as dismal as I had imagined.

          Coming to the literary quality of the book: the prose is easy to read, well-edited and the font size comfortable on the eyes. I’m certainly looking forward to Gupte’s next release on Capt Nair of the Leela Hotels.