Dr. S. Chandrakumar is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Kauvery Group of Hospitals. A qualified anaesthesiologist and critical care specialist has transitioned from clinical practice to become a healthcare entrepreneur with a strong focus on strategic planning and organizational leadership. He embarked on a mission to deliver high-quality, affordable healthcare to communities.

In 1999, he co-founded Kauvery Hospital with a 30 bed facility in Trichy with Dr. S. Manivannan to address the need for tertiary care in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. It has grown into a trusted network of hospitals with over 2,500 beds across South India.

His leadership has been instrumental in bringing personalized care and fostering an empathetic doctor–patient relationship, creating warmth at every step of the patient journey.

Dr. Chandrakumar’s vision makes advanced medical technology accessible to all. His efforts have helped restore trust in healthcare by building strong connections between patients, families, and healthcare providers.

Beyond healthcare, Dr. Chandrakumar is committed to nurturing art, culture, and community development. He founded the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Trichy Kendra to promote performing arts and has been actively engaged in civic and professional forums. He is currently serving his second consecutive term as Chairman of the CII Southern Region Taskforce on Wellbeing & Healthcare (2024–26). He has previously chaired the CII Tamil Nadu State Council, and is a member of the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO), Chennai Chapter.

Through his vision and leadership, Dr. Chandrakumar continues to shape the future of healthcare in South India. His journey reflects a deep commitment to excellence, compassion, and community well-being.

Dr. Manivannan Selvaraj is the Founder and Managing Director of Kauvery Group of Hospitals. Dr. Manivannan is a trained anaesthesiologist. His vision of making great healthcare affordable became a reality in 1999, when he co-founded Kauvery Hospital along with Dr. S. Chandrakumar.

Kauvery Hospital’s mission is to bridge the burgeoning gap in trust between patients and hospitals, and to restore the importance of empathetic healing.

Dr. Manivannan’s firm belief in the adoption of best practices to eliminate wastage, rationalize treatment and optimize patient stay in the hospital helps in reducing the cost of treatment, thereby making great healthcare affordable. This also helps in reducing the negative impact on tertiary healthcare due to complexities of various diseases and the lack of availability of high-end investigation tools.

Dr. Manivannan’s focus on implementation of lean methodologies and 5S practices has helped Kauvery Hospital win several awards in 5S, Quality Circle initiatives (employee’s ability to assess and resolve issues on their own).

Dr. Manivannan’s incredible journey of medical entrepreneurship is replete with many achievements such as:

• Outstanding Anaesthesiologist for 2010 (Indian Society of Anaesthesiology)
• Leading Medical Entrepreneur 2018 by Indian Medical Association
• Certified Assessor in NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare)

Key Civic/Professional Affiliations:

• Certified Assessor in NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare)
• Past Chairman of Round Table India
• Past District Secretary of Indian Society of Anaesthesiologist in Trichy City Branch

A Leader in Advanced Paediatric Care and Healthcare Excellence

Pioneering Paediatrician and Visionary Leader: Dr. Senguttuvan’s vision and leadership extend beyond his clinical expertise. As a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Kauvery Hospitals, he oversees a network of 300-bedded multispecialty hospitals and 200-bedded dedicated Mother & Child care units under the “Maa Kauvery” brand. He skillfully manages this high-volume sector while simultaneously practicing as Chief Paediatrician, demonstrating his exceptional leadership and dedication to patient care.

Champion of Paediatric Excellence: With over 3 decades of experience, Dr. Senguttuvan stands as a pillar of paediatric care in the region. His expertise draws patients from over 200 kilometres, seeking his renowned ability to manage even the most complex paediatric cases. This popularity speaks volumes about his dedication to exceptional care and personalized attention.

Commitment to Academic Excellence: Dr. Senguttuvan’s unwavering commitment to excellence transcends clinical care. As a true pioneer, he established the DNB paediatric program in Trichy, a Tier 2 city, paving the way for future generations of medical professionals to flourish. This groundbreaking initiative, along with his dedication to the NNF Fellowship program, exemplifies his unwavering commitment to academic excellence and to propelling the field of paediatrics forward.

Proven Track Record of Success: Over 3 decades of experience managing a private practice and spearheading departments at Kauvery Hospital and handling over 3,000 in-patients and 12,000 outpatients annually, exemplifies his operational expertise and dedication to patient care.

Effective Management and Leadership: His proven experience in managing over 1,500 employees, providing executive leadership, overseeing training, and managing public relations, is a testament to his strong leadership and people management skills.

Passionate Advocate for Healthcare Access: Having co-founding Kauvery Hospitals with its mission to make quality healthcare affordable, reflects his commitment to social responsibility and equitable access to medical care.

Distinguished Recognition: Dr. Senguttuvan’s leadership extends beyond Kauvery Hospitals and into the wider healthcare landscape. His dedication and expertise have been recognized through prestigious positions such as co-chairperson of a state-level healthcare panel, thus demonstrating his influence on healthcare policy at the regional level. He has also served as the Former Secretary of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, past Chair of CII Trichy Zone, and Founder President of NNF Trichy Chapter, thereby further illustrating his leadership and profound impact on the medical community. These prominent roles showcase his commitment to shaping healthcare policy, improving access to quality care, and fostering collaboration within the medical field.

Key Strengths:

• Visionary leadership and strategic planning
• Expertise in paediatric care and healthcare management
• Proven track record of success in building and leading organizations
• Strong commitment to quality healthcare and patient well-being
• Effective communication and relationship-building skills
• Passion for social responsibility and healthcare access

A gold medalist in orthopaedic surgery, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj is the Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Kauvery Group of Hospitals.

He practiced orthopaedic surgery for 15 years, from 1995 till 2010, in the world’s best hospitals in Ireland and the UK. He returned to India in 2010 with a vision of setting up a world-class hospital in Chennai and thus Kauvery Hospital at Alwarpet, Chennai was born. Today, the Kauvery Hospitals group has more than 2000 beds across 10 locations in Tamil Nadu & Karnataka.

He has been awarded the ‘Best Doctor’ award by the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University & the ‘Pride of Tamil Nadu’ award for his achievements in the healthcare industry. In 2022, he was awarded the Sir M Visvesvaraya award for ‘Excellence in Healthcare’ by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in recognition of Kauvery Hospital’s contribution to the healthcare sector in terms of service to the general public, creation of jobs for the underprivileged and the scientific advancement of medical care.

Other positions held:

• Chairman of ASSOCHAM Tamil Nadu State Development Council
• CII Southern Region Health Industry Committee Co-Chairman
• TiE Governing Council Member
• Set up the Innovation and Incubation Center at Kauvery Hospital
• Founded Healthcare Capital, an NBFC to invest in health tech startups

Dr T. Senthil Kumar, is a reputed senior cardio-thoracic surgeon practising cardiac surgery for over 33 years. He has a distinguished academic record. Having passed out from the Thanjavur Medical College in 1985 with a gold medal, he obtained his Masters in Surgery from Stanley Medical College, Chennai, where he was the best outgoing student with the Stanley Silver Jubilee gold medal in surgery for the year 1989. Subsequently, he completed his super-speciality in Cardiac Surgery (M. Ch – CT Surgery) from Madras Medical College in the year 1993.

He is one of the promoters and is a full-time Executive Director in Kauvery Group of Hospitals. He is the Unit Head & Chief Cardiac Surgeon of Kauvery Heartcity at Trichy and heads the Cardiology Services of Kauvery Hospital Group.

He played a key role in developing an exclusive 100-bedded Cardiac Hospital in Trichy – “Kauvery  Heartcity”, the first of its kind, in southern Tamil Nadu. He was instrumental in starting a cardiac surgical program in a tier II city like Trichy, three decades ago. He has performed more than 10,000 open heart procedures with excellent clinical outcomes (this includes bypass operations, valve replacement surgeries, correction of congenital defects and major aortic surgeries). He was a part of the team (vascular surgeon) that performed over 750 renal transplants. He is an expert in coronary artery bypass surgery, various complex aortic and valvular heart surgeries and surgeries for complications of coronary artery disease.

He is credited with performing the first open heart surgery in Thanjavur and in Salem and for developing an ongoing cardiac surgical program in those cities. He is also credited with performing numerous complex surgeries which were done for the “first time” in Trichy and Thanjavur.

He received appreciation from the Tamil Nadu Government for performing over 500 surgical procedures in less than 3 years for paediatric patients under the “Illam Sirar Idhayam Kappom Thittam” when it was introduced.

He introduced DrNB (a super-speciality 3-year course) in Kauvery Heartcity in Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery and Cardiac Anaesthesia, and is the Course Director.

He is also a recipient of the following:

“Best Doctor Award” – 2012 by Dr MGR Medical University (Awarded in July 2012 at Chennai MGR Medical University)

Times Healthcare – Achiever’s Award – Stalwart in Cardiac Surgery, Tamil Nadu – 2018

Member – Academic and Syllabus Committee – Bharathidasan University, Trichy

Executive Committee Member – Campion Higher Secondary School (his alma mater).

Honorary Director for A.A.P.I., Ammanpettai, Thanjavur District (This is a charity clinic funded by the American Association of Physicians from India, at a rural area in Thanjavur District.)

Madras University Examiner – for Bachelor of Physiotherapy

 Formerly:

Member of Faculty of Medicine, Annamalai University, Chidambaram

Honorary Prof. of Cardiothoracic Surgery – Rover Physiotherapy College

GVN College of Paramedical Sciences

Visiting Consultant ‑ Honorary Sahayamatha Hospital, Pullambadi (This is a charity hospital for leprosy patients.)

Secretary, Association of Surgeons of India, Trichy Chapter

A seasoned engineer by profession with over 20 years of experience in Purchases & Projects, he is responsible for overseeing procurement and supply chain management of pharmacy, medical and non-medical consumables, equipment, and all the other service contracts within the organisation. He has vast experience in this field and in handling all the brownfield and greenfield hospital projects right from concept to commissioning. With his extensive experience, he plays a crucial role in planning, designing, scheduling, driving operational efficiency, managing costs, and achieving project objectives on time. His expertise in procurement strategies, project execution, project management and stakeholder engagement significantly contributes to the overall success and growth of the organisation.

• Heads the Purchase and Projects function at Kauvery
• Spearheads the pharma distribution vertical
• Associated for 20+ years
• Engineer by qualification

Dr. S. Vijayabaskaran serves as the Executive Director of the Bangalore and Hosur units within the Kauvery Group of Hospitals. His extensive qualifications and accomplishments underscore his role in this esteemed healthcare organisation. Dr. Vijayabaskaran excels in various areas, like Project Management, Turnaround Specialist/Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Development, and Stakeholder Management.

• Best Integrated Farming System Research Scientist for the year 2013 at the National Level (ICAR)
• Best Extension Scientist for the year 2008 at the state level
• University rank holder in postgraduate studies
• ASPEE fellowship holder for postgraduate studies