Dr. Lal has been trained at world renowned medical institutions of UK, Germany and USA. He is a Fellow of American College of Cardiology; American College of Medicine; Royal College of Physicians (Canaja); Indian College of Cardiology & Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions (USA).
Dr. Lal has the unique distinction of introducing largest number of procedures in the field of Interventional Cardiology for the first time in the country (more than 20 ‘FIRSTS’ to his credit) such as Slow Rotational Angioplasty, Coronary Atherectomy, Diamond Drilling of Arteries (Rotablator), Non-Surgical Closure of Heart Hole, Non-Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement, etc. Dr. Lal has developed new techniques of Atrio Femoral Bypass Support (Partial Artificial Heart) and opening of tight heart valves with ECHO without Cath Lab.
He performed the world’s first case of Non-Surgical Heart Hole Closure (ASD) with Monodise Device and Aortic Valve Replacement with Core Valve (TAVI). He has been listed several times in the Limea Book of World Records.
– from childhood to doctor
When India was recovering from the aftermath of partition, a boy with a sparkle in his eyes was born to a bicycle mechanic in Moga, Punjab. In the middle of a changing state, little did his family know that one day this boy will turn into a man that India will look up to. The youngest of four siblings, he was named Purshotam – finest of all men. The boy grew up surrounded by the harsh realities of life in a small village. His father, a caring and dedicated man, worked tirelessly to provide for the family. But destiny had something else in store for them as he passed away unexpectedly. Purshotam was just a teenager at the time and the loss of his father had a profound impact on him. However, he was determined to honor his father’s memory by pursuing his dreams and achieving great success. Rather than mourning endlessly, he decided to live up to the name that his father had chosen for him.
Unfazed by the challenges life threw at him, he excelled in studies and was awarded a scholarship to study medicine at Amritsar Medical College. Owing to his diligence and dedication, he secured the top position in his class in 1975 and became Dr. Purshotam Lal. His success did not go unnoticed and he was soon offered a full scholarship to study further in the United States. In the US, Dr. Lal continued to excel, earning certifications and fellowships from some of the most prestigious medical organizations in the world. He became a professor at M.S. University of America, where he trained students from all over the globe in the field of cardiology and medical science.
After spending 13 successful years in the US, Dr. Lal felt a calling to serve his country and people. In 1989, he returned to India and joined Apollo Hospital in Chennai, where he introduced new heart treatment techniques that he had learned in the US. He eventually moved to Apollo Hospital in Delhi, where he treated many patients but noticed that many were unable to afford the cost of treatment. As a medical practitioner, who strongly believed that healthcare should be accessible to all, Dr. Lal took it upon himself to create an institution where patients would not be turned away due to high cost. Giving his vision a shape in 1997, he founded the Metro Group of Hospitals, starting with the Metro Heart Institute in Noida. He successfully pushed stent companies to reduce their prices, bringing the cost of angioplasty down to 98,000 rupees, from 1.5 lac rupees previously.
“In the 1990s, the Inoue Balloon was the most famous balloon used for Mitral Valvuloplasty in patients suffering from Rheumatic Heart Disease and Mitral Stenosis. However, the balloon was expensive and patients from low-middle class backgrounds couldn’t afford it. I played a crucial role in persuading the manufacturing firm, Toray Company of Japan, to reduce the price from USD 3000 to USD 1000. Thanks to this effort, I successfully performed India’s first Inoue Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty on a 70-year-old woman from Jalandhar in November 1990. I am proud to have introduced this successful process in India & happy that it was covered in the national heart journal.”
Dr. Lal played a major role in establishing interventional cardiology in the country by introducing over 20 procedures, which were safer alternatives to open-heart surgery and improved the life expectancy of those with heart diseases. Over time, he became a leading and highly honored interventional cardiologist, receiving several awards for his contributions, including the Padma Bhushan in 2003, the Dr. B.C. Roy National Award in 2004 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2009.
Here’s a snippet about one of his memorable cases:
“When 19-year-old Suresh, son of a tailor and studying at Lyola Hospital in Chennai, visited me with Atrial Septal Defect in September 1991, I knew I had to think outside the box to provide him with the best possible care. Using a non-surgical closure of the hole in his heart using the monodisk device, I was able to perform the procedure for the first time, not just in India, but in all of Asia. The world’s first case of ASD closure without surgery using an umbrella device was performed in 1975 on a 17-year-old girl in Louisiana, USA. Since then, many types of devices have been used during such procedures. The heart hole closure (ASD) performed on Suresh was a groundbreaking procedure and a significant milestone in my career.”
Dr. Lal’s five-decades-long journey is nothing short of a tale of incredible achievements and groundbreaking successes. One such case, in particular, brought immense pride not just to him but to the entire nation. The world’s first transcatheter aortic valve replacement with Core Valve was performed by Dr. Lal, making history and setting the stage for a revolution in the non-surgical treatment/replacement of valves. This case was published in numerous national and international medical journals and 15 years down the line, it has become the most common procedure for treating patients with severe aortic stenosis who are not suitable for open heart surgery. As a result, TAVI/TAVR has become the non-surgical method of choice for valve replacement. Dr. Lal was invited to present the case and the procedure and to train doctors on this groundbreaking technique. He was invited to numerous conferences, including the China Conference on Valve in Hangzhou, China, the Conference on Structural Heart Disease by CSI Germany, the International Conference on Interventional Cardiology at JIMS in Milan, Italy and the Ethiopian Conference by CSI Germany.
“I still remember, in 1991, when I implanted India’s first coronary implant as a bailout device, using a tantalum stent made by Strecker Company. The procedure was performed on Mr. Ismail Maniku, who complained of unstable angina and underwent balloon angioplasty of RCA. It was a landmark moment in Indian cardiology and the case was presented at several national and international forums. I delivered the first-ever lecture on coronary stenting at the Annual Meeting of Cardiology Society of India in 1992 and presented the advantages of Tantalum stents over other metallic stents due to their radio-opacity during my Dr. V.V. Shah Oration Award. I’m proud to say that Mr. Maniku, now 80 years old, still visits me for follow-ups at Metro Heart Institute, Noida.”
Dr. Purshotam Lal’s impact on the landscape of heart treatment in India cannot be overstated. He founded the Metro Group of Hospitals, which has grown to become one of the largest chains of heart hospitals in the country. His pioneering work in interventional cardiology and non-surgical treatments helped to bring affordable heart care to millions of people in India who otherwise would not have had access to it. Despite his numerous achievements and accolades, Dr. Lal remains as humble as the family he was born into, committing himself to giving back to society. He is actively involved in various philanthropic activities, including providing free heart surgeries to underprivileged patients and supporting education initiatives for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. His contributions to society have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honors.
– from doctor to visionary
Dr. Purshotam Lal has come a long way in his journey as a medical practitioner. Beyond a doctor, he is now credited as a pioneer, a visionary, a philanthropist, an innovator and more. After giving the best of his knowledge and services to various medical institutions, he took a leap of faith and established a place for hope and health that is known as Metro Group of Hospitals today. 27 years later, one man’s dream and courage has turned into a network of 11 hospitals with over 2500 operational beds and a flourishing college – together they make it one of the largest and most trusted healthcare groups in India.
Dr. Lal’s vision and mission were clear – to make quality healthcare services accessible to the common man of India. Under Dr. Lal’s leadership and guidance, the group has established a team of 600 plus highly experienced doctors who have served over 25 lakh patients. Today, the group has become a reputed name in healthcare in North India. Highest standards of medical care, excellent service and patient well-being are the three things that set us apart. While we started as an expert in heart health, we now cater to a wide spectrum of medical needs, such as cardiac sciences, neurosciences, orthopedics, renal sciences, liver & gastro sciences and organ transplants.
Metro Group of Hospitals, the dream of Dr. Lal, is growing leaps and bound and also changing the landscape of healthcare. With patients and technological advancements at its core, we are creating a tomorrow that’s more promising, positive and hopeful for all.
from Dr. Lal
India has a very large and diverse population base. An efficient healthcare system is what its countrymen truly need and deserve. Moreover, we believe that quality healthcare should be accessible to all, irrespective of their status and class, which was not the case and only the elite had this privilege. Our idea behind setting up Metro Hospitals in 1997 was simple and clear – to provide state-of-the-art healthcare to the masses at an affordable cost.
Even after 27 years, at the Metro Group of Hospitals, we commit ourselves every day to offer advanced medical care at a minimum possible cost. Our focus has always been on the patients of the lower and middle sections of society, who are rejected by the large corporate hospitals. Our dedicated, outstanding team of doctors in various specialties include cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, respiratory, oncology, and more. All our senior doctors are former deans, professors or directors of reputed institutes.
Our hospitals are equipped with the latest medical technology. Each specialty is therefore able to provide an array of the state-of-the-art procedures, both invasive and non-invasive. Today we, in India, are proud of being ahead of other advanced countries in the field of interventional cardiology techniques and many other specialties. It has been my continuous effort to stress on preventive cardiac care, and to remove the fear of screening procedures like angiography from the minds of people.
With a deeply rooted belief of ‘We Treat. He Cares’, we adopt our patients as our relatives rather than customers. Right from spending time to guiding our patients about the current cost-effective course of actions, we provide world class health care services with empathy to our patients.
My happiest moments are when a patient recovers. I send them home, sincerely wishing for their wellness from the bottom of my heart. My heartiest wish is that they must remain well and not require to come back to the hospital in future.
Dr. Lal is known as the doctor with many ‘firsts’ to his credit. He has the unique distinction of introducing the largest number of procedures in the field of Interventional Cardiology for the first time in the country. These include Slow Rotational Angioplasty, Coronary Atherectomy, diamond drilling of arteries (Rotablator), Non-Surgical Closure of Heart Hole, Non-Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement, etc. Dr. Lal has also developed new techniques of Aortofemoral Bypass Support (Partial Artificial Heart) and opening of tight heart valves with Echo without Cath Lab. He performed the world’s first case of Non-Surgical Heart Hole Closure (ASD) with Monodisc Device and Aortic Valve Replacement with Core Valve (TAVI). He has been listed several times in the Limca Book of World Records.
Even after spending five decades serving patients, Dr. Lal is still a dedicated and committed doctor. He makes himself available 24×7, consults and visits patients every day and does surgeries regularly. He gets involved with doctors and staff members and ensures that everything runs smoothly. He visits all the network hospitals as and when needed. He looks after critical patients himself and makes sure that they get the best healthcare services possible. Beyond offering his exceptional medical services, he also takes up philanthropic work and provides free treatment to the underprivileged and needy. Through the Metro College of Sciences & Research he also offers subsidised education to meritorious students who come from financially weak families.
A family oriented man, Dr. Lal loves spending time with his family. When not working, he is making the most of his time by making beautiful memories with his loved ones. From playing with his grandchildren to taking short trips on weekends, he gives all his time to his family.
Dr. (Prof.) Purshotam Lal, known as India’s top heart doctor, revolutionized heartcare with new innovations and ideas, winning awards like Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan.
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