Best Cardiologists in India

When it comes to heart care, who performs your procedure matters as much as where. India's top cardiac specialists combine decades of clinical experience with international training and a procedure volume that far exceeds what most Western specialists achieve in a comparable period.

This guide introduces some of India's most widely recognized cardiologists and cardiac surgeons for international patients—across the different specialties within cardiac medicine. It also explains the important distinction between the types of heart specialists, so you can identify the right kind of expert for your specific condition.

Cardiologist vs. Cardiac Surgeon: An Important Distinction

Patients often search for 'best cardiologist in India' when what they actually need may be a cardiac surgeon — or vice versa. These are different roles, and understanding which one you need is the right first step:

Specialist Type	What They Do	When You Need Them
Cardiologist	Diagnoses and manages heart conditions medically; performs non-surgical procedures like angioplasty and stenting	For diagnosis, ongoing management, angioplasty, stent placement, pacemaker implantation, heart failure management
Interventional Cardiologist	Specialist cardiologist who performs catheter-based procedures to treat coronary artery disease, valve disease, and structural heart conditions	For angioplasty, TAVR/TAVI, percutaneous valve repair, ASD/VSD closure
Cardiac Surgeon (Cardiothoracic Surgeon)	Performs open-heart and minimally invasive surgical procedures on the heart and major blood vessels	For bypass surgery (CABG), surgical valve replacement (SAVR), heart transplant, aortic surgery, congenital heart repair
Electrophysiologist	Cardiologist specialising in heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias)	For atrial fibrillation (AFib), ventricular tachycardia, pacemaker/ICD implantation, ablation procedures
Paediatric Cardiologist / Surgeon	Specialises in heart conditions in children, including congenital heart defects	For children with congenital heart disease, septal defects, valve problems, or complex heart malformations

Not Sure Which Specialist You Need?

If you've been told you have a blocked artery and need a stent — you need an interventional cardiologist. If you need bypass surgery or a valve replacement — you need a cardiac surgeon. If you have an irregular heartbeat — you need an electrophysiologist. Share your reports with us and we'll match you to the right subspecialist for your specific condition.

What to Look For When Choosing a Cardiac Specialist in India

Procedure volume — how many cases of your specific condition or procedure this specialist performs annually. Volume is one of the strongest predictors of surgical outcomes
Subspecialty match — confirm the specialist's focus aligns with your exact condition (e.g., a structural heart specialist for TAVR, a congenital surgeon for septal defects)
International credentials — fellowships, memberships, or training at internationally recognised institutions such as FACC (Fellow, American College of Cardiology) or FRCP
Hospital affiliation — the strongest specialists are typically at JCI or NABH-accredited hospitals with advanced cardiac infrastructure
Pre-travel consultation availability — the ability to consult by video before traveling is a reasonable standard at any major cardiac centre
Published outcomes or case data — senior specialists at major institutions often have published outcome data or documented case statistics you can request

Leading Cardiac Surgeons in India

These surgeons are widely cited across multiple independent sources for their experience, procedure volume, and international reputation. Hospital affiliations are accurate at time of writing but should be verified directly before booking.

Dr. Naresh Trehan Cardiac Surgeon — Cardiovascular & Minimally Invasive Surgery \| Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram, Delhi NCR
Qualifications	MBBS (King George Medical College, Lucknow); Trained at New York University Medical Centre; Padma Shri & Padma Bhushan awardee
Specialty Focus	Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Complex Valve Surgery, Aortic Surgery
Known For	Founder and Chairman of Medanta, widely considered India's most recognised cardiac surgeon internationally. Over 40 years of experience. Has operated on numerous heads of state and international dignitaries. The Heart Institute at Medanta was built around his clinical philosophy of comprehensive, team-based cardiac care.

Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty Cardiac Surgeon — Paediatric & Adult Cardiac Surgery \| Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Qualifications	MBBS (Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore); MCh (Cardiothoracic Surgery); Padma Bhushan awardee
Specialty Focus	Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Coronary Bypass Surgery, Valve Surgery, Heart Transplantation
Known For	Founder of Narayana Health, globally recognized for pioneering high-volume, affordable cardiac surgery. Performed cardiac surgery on Mother Teresa. Widely cited as one of the world's foremost experts in paediatric cardiac surgery. Built a model that delivers world-class outcomes at costs accessible to patients who could not afford treatment elsewhere.

Dr. Ramakanta Panda Cardiac Surgeon — Off-Pump CABG & Complex Cardiac Surgery \| Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Qualifications	MBBS (SCB Medical College); MCh (Cardiothoracic Surgery, AIIMS); Cleveland Clinic Fellowship (USA)
Specialty Focus	Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (CABG), Total Arterial Revascularization, Redo Bypass Surgery, Aortic Aneurysm Surgery
Known For	Vice-Chairman and Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Asian Heart Institute. Internationally cited for a reported 99.8% success rate in bypass surgery and one of India's lowest cardiac surgery mortality rates. Widely known as one of the world's safest cardiac surgeons. Performed bypass surgery on former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Dr. Anvay Mulay Cardiac Surgeon — CABG & Minimally Invasive Surgery \| Fortis Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Qualifications	MCh (Cardiothoracic Surgery); Senior Fellowship in Cardiac Surgery
Specialty Focus	Off-Pump CABG (Beating Heart Surgery), Total Arterial Revascularization, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Aortic Root Surgery, Valve Repair
Known For	Pioneer in off-pump beating heart bypass surgery in India, with the largest personal series of beating heart coronary bypass procedures in the country — over 4,000 successful cases. Former President of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (ISMICS, USA).

Dr. Sandeep Attawar Cardiac & Transplant Surgeon — Heart, Lung & LVAD \| Gleneagles BGS Hospital / Institute of Heart & Lung Transplant, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Qualifications	MCh (Cardiothoracic Surgery); Fellowship in Heart & Lung Transplant; ISHLT Member
Specialty Focus	Heart Transplantation, Lung Transplantation, LVAD Implantation, Congenital Heart Surgery, Complex Open Heart Surgery
Known For	One of India's leading transplant surgeons with over 300 adult heart and lung transplants performed and over two dozen LVAD implants. Director of the Cardiac Surgery and Thoracic Organ Transplant Program. Treats patients ranging from infants to octogenarians.

Leading Interventional Cardiologists in India

Interventional cardiologists perform catheter-based procedures — angioplasty, stenting, TAVR, and structural heart interventions — without open surgery. These specialists are who you need for coronary artery blockages, valve disease managed percutaneously, or complex interventional work.

Dr. Ashok Seth Interventional Cardiologist — Complex Coronary & Structural Heart \| Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi
Qualifications	MBBS; MD; DM (Cardiology); FRCP (London, Edinburgh, Ireland); FACC; FESC; DSc; D Litt
Specialty Focus	Angioplasty, Coronary Stenting, TAVR/TAVI (among India's first), Drug-Eluting Stents, Bioabsorbable Stents, Transcatheter Structural Heart Procedures
Known For	Chairman of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute. Over 50,000 angiograms and 20,000+ angioplasties performed across a 40+ year career. Among the first cardiologists in India to perform TAVI. Recipient of Padma Bhushan — India's third highest civilian honour — for contributions to cardiology. Widely cited as one of the world's most experienced interventional cardiologists.

Dr. Praveen Chandra Interventional Cardiologist — Complex & High-Risk Angioplasty \| Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram, Delhi NCR
Qualifications	MBBS; MD; DM (Cardiology); Padma Shri awardee
Specialty Focus	Complex Coronary Interventions, High-Risk Angioplasty, TAVI, Rotablation, FFR-Guided Angioplasty, Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair
Known For	Chairman of Interventional Cardiology at Medanta. Padma Shri awardee recognized for pioneering work in high-risk and complex coronary interventions. Known internationally for treating cases that other centres have declined as too risky.

Dr. Subhash Chandra Interventional Cardiologist — Complex Angioplasty & Heart Failure Devices \| BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi
Qualifications	MBBS; MD; DM (Cardiology, AIIMS — Gold Medalist); DNB; US Medical Licensing Examination; PDF (Brussels, Belgium)
Specialty Focus	Complex and High-Risk Angioplasty, Cardiac Pacing, Electrophysiology, Device Therapy for Heart Failure, Cardiomyopathy Management
Known For	Chairman and Head of Cardiology at BLK-Max, New Delhi. Over 25,000 complex angioplasties performed. Recipient of the Padma Bhushan (2005) — India's third highest civilian honour. 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award for international contributions to clinical and preventive cardiology.

Dr. Balbir Singh Electrophysiologist & Interventional Cardiologist — Arrhythmia & Rhythm Management \| Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi
Qualifications	MBBS; MD; DM (Cardiology); Fellowship in Electrophysiology
Specialty Focus	Interventional Electrophysiology, Cardiac Ablation, Pacemaker Implantation, ICD & CRT Devices, Atrial Fibrillation Management
Known For	Group Chairman of Cardiac Sciences at Max Healthcare. Pioneer in interventional electrophysiology in India. Known for complex ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. For patients with arrhythmias or rhythm disorders, Dr. Balbir Singh is among the most experienced specialists in Asia.

Paediatric Cardiac Specialists

Children with congenital heart conditions require specialists specifically trained in paediatric cardiac anatomy, physiology, and surgical technique — adult cardiac experience does not transfer directly to paediatric cases. India has several dedicated paediatric cardiac surgeons with extensive international reputations:

Specialist	Hospital & City	Known For
Dr. Devi Shetty	Narayana Health City, Bengaluru	Highest-volume paediatric cardiac surgery program in India; complex congenital repairs from birth onwards
Dr. Rajesh Sharma	Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Delhi	Complex congenital heart defects, neonatal cardiac surgery, redo congenital surgery
Dr. Sanjay Koshi	Aster Hospitals, Kerala	Over 8,000 paediatric cardiac procedures; Director of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery Program
Dr. Nidhi Rawal	Multiple affiliated centres	Paediatric cardiologist (non-surgical); Neonatal echo, fetal cardiology, ASD/VSD/PDA device closure

How to Choose the Right Specialist for Your Case

Reading about prominent specialists is a starting point, not a final decision. The right cardiologist or cardiac surgeon for you depends on your specific condition, the type of procedure you need, and which hospital you're traveling to. Here's how to approach the decision practically:

Step 1 — Confirm What Type of Specialist You Need

Is your condition requiring medication management and monitoring (cardiologist), a catheter-based procedure (interventional cardiologist), open surgery or minimally invasive surgery (cardiac surgeon), a rhythm problem (electrophysiologist), or is it a child's case (paediatric specialist)? This determination comes first.

Step 2 — Match Specialist to Your Specific Procedure

A cardiologist who is excellent at angioplasty is not automatically the right choice for TAVR, just as a cardiac surgeon who specialises in bypass surgery may not be the highest-volume TAVR operator. Match the specialist's documented subspecialty focus to your exact procedure.

Step 3 — Request a Pre-Travel Video Consultation

All the specialists listed above practice at hospitals that offer pre-travel video consultations for international patients. Use this opportunity to present your reports, ask about their specific experience with your condition, and assess their communication style before committing to travel.

Step 4 — Get a Written Treatment Plan From the Specialist

A verbal consultation alone is insufficient for planning international travel for cardiac surgery. Ensure that a written treatment plan, clear timeline, and itemized cost estimate follow the consultation before you make any bookings.

Get Matched With the Right Cardiac Specialist

Rather than working through hospital websites one by one, share your cardiac reports with our team. We'll review your case and recommend the best-matched specialist for your specific diagnosis and required procedure — with a pre-arranged video consultation and a written treatment plan to follow.

Get a Free Specialist Match and Video Consultation

Share your echocardiogram and reports — response within 24–48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a specific cardiologist by name in India?

Yes. At all major hospitals, you can request a specific cardiologist or cardiac surgeon by name when submitting your medical reports. The hospital will confirm availability and schedule your pre-travel consultation accordingly.

Do these specialists accept international patients directly?

Yes. All the specialists listed in this article practice at hospitals with established international patient programs and are experienced in treating patients from across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

What are the typical consultation fees for a senior cardiologist in India?

Consultation fees for senior cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at major Indian hospitals typically range from USD 50 to USD 200 for an in-person or video consultation. Some hospitals include the consultation fee in the initial deposit when treatment proceeds at their facility.

Can these cardiologists provide a second opinion on my existing diagnosis?

Yes. Many international patients contact India's top cardiac specialists specifically for a second opinion on a diagnosis or treatment plan received at home. Most hospitals offer a structured second opinion service — share your reports, receive a written clinical opinion from a named senior specialist.

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Best Cardiologists in India

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