A series by Paul Roy. A unique observational documentary series that shines a light on Indian society as it is rarely seen.


The series Indian Hospital takes an in-depth look at the work of the Narayana Hrudayalaya ("Temple of the Heart") health city on the outskirts of Bangalore, which offers a completely new way of delivering high quality healthcare to rich and poor alike.

Episode 1: India has the world's second-largest population but more than 40 per cent of the people live below the poverty line and there is no government-funded welfare system or safety net. So with only $4 per person spent on public healthcare each year, falling sick in India can be a death sentence.

Narayana Hrudayalaya, meaning 'Temple of the Heart', is a hospital with a difference that is determined to make a difference. Here, making a profit and offering free medical care go hand-in-hand.


Episode 2: In India, a baby is born every second - producing the largest number of babies in the world. Of these, three million will die before the age of five - many from a treatable heart disease.


Episode 3: On this episode of Indian Hospital, we take a look at how at the heart of every hospital are its nurses - often unappreciated, undervalued and underpaid. Dr Shetty has made it his mission to improve the lot of the Narayana Hrudayalaya nurses.

"If you want to elevate the standards of healthcare across the world, we have to elevate the standards of nursing care. Nurses are not just a pair of hands," he says.


Episode 4: Thirty-year-old Prabhu has been suffering from terminal motor neurone disease for half his life. A recent side effect has been the deterioration of his eyesight to such an extent he has had to quit his job.

After an eight-month wait, he has the first of two cornea transplants. It is exacting precision work with no room for error.

Episode 5: Dr Devi Shetty, the founder of Narayana Hrudayalaya hospital in Bangalore, never misses an opportunity to push his message of low-cost, affordable healthcare. His comments has generated publicity for his hospital and its services, leading to an increase in full fee-paying patients from overseas, a critical factor for the hospital's cash flow.


Episode 6: We follow a young girl who finally receives a new kidney and a trainee surgeon as he assists in a difficult operation....."The whole concept is making them technically skilled surgeons at a very, very young age," explains Shetty. "Why should somebody [have to wait] to be 50 years [of age] before he can do this complex operation, why can't he do it when he is still in his thirties?"

Yes we can see the real India because it's a democracy.
Any pictures from China?

Very true. I recall in one of the operations he and his team were conducting, one could clearly tell his passion for the job and the satisfaction he derives from it, often equating it to 'creation'.