The power couple Dr Sonia Lal Gupta, Sr. Neurologist and Dr Sameer Gupta, Sr. Interventional Cardiologist, trained in the US, quit their flourishing careers to move to India and take over the mantle of Metro Group of Hospitals, headquartered in Noida. Together, they are leading the trusted healthcare brand to new horizons of clinical excellence, tech savviness, quality and affordable healthcare and spaces.
You have a rich legacy to carry forward of your father, Dr. (Prof.) Purshotam Lal, Chairman, Metro Group of Hospitals, a luminary in healthcare. What are its challenges and advantages?
I am proud and humbled by my father, Dr. (Prof.) Purshotam Lal’s achievements of being honoured with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and the B.C. Roy awards for his excellence and contribution to healthcare. He grew to be a stalwart of his field by sheer dint of his hardwork and passion for his calling, which is truly inspiring that I was fortunate to observe from close quarters. He has set high benchmarks, but what he achieved was his journey and what I do and achieve would be mine. The biggest challenge is to ensure to carry forward that legacy in the same spirit and principles that he believed in, likewise did my mother. I have been imbued with their values of humility, service to humanity and being true to one’s profession. The biggest learning from my parents is ‘adopt your patient’ by being genuinely kind, lending a sympathetic ear, which helps understand their pain and hastens recovery. It’s an unsaid culture that silently seeped into the workplace and is the true differentiator for Metro Hospitals.
As a specialist in headache medicine and vascular neurology, what is the value addition made by you to the institution?
I was attracted to neurology simply for the fascination that I had on how the brain works. The reason I did a one year of Fellowship pertaining to headache is because it is a very common condition the world over and very debilitating like migraine, which impacts people from all walks of life, yet they do not know how to manage it with lifestyle changes and medications. Medicines play only a 60 percent role while lifestyle is 50-60 percent in curbing headaches. Believe it or not there are 300 types of headaches! With exposure and experience from abroad, I have brought to the table my training, knowledge and the right attitude when talking to your patients which helps in getting the desired clinical results.
What triggers and aggravates headache in the Indian population, its burden, and your leadership role to help alleviate the condition?
In India, the most common reason for getting headaches is exposure to the sun followed by high stress levels for reasons as diverse as personal, professional and societal. Lack of sleep is another cause of worry largely because of preoccupation with the social media and sedentary lifestyle with no physical exercise. So the trigger for a headache which I gathered from patients coming to this urban medical centre are hunger, lack of exercise and sleep, family history and in modern times environmental pollution. Headaches and migraines are more common in women because of the hormonal component. At the end of the day headaches are manageable with medicine and lifestyle changes.
Educated abroad at some of the best medical centres, how have you used your experience to improve treatment and their outcomes?
I am a visiting professor at New York Medical College, US, and attend a lot of health conferences bringing back learnings from there to invest in India. Some medicines and treatments are available only in the west which come for a hefty price and since we know about it, we are able to recommend to those patients who can afford it. A challenge that we face is that people here are short on patience wanting quick results even before the treatment runs its full course. Let me warn you that treatment for headache is a long drawn process.
How have accolades won by you inspired you to take Metro Group of Hospitals to its next level of futuristic progress?
Recognitions are milestones that tell that you still have a long way to go. After I returned from the US and joined Metro what stood out was an excellent clinical and support staff, an invaluable asset that could leverage our growth plans. True to Metro Hospital’s ethos of service to mankind, we have presence in underserved Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities like Haridwar, Jaipur, Meerut, and we are looking at expanding to more such cities in other parts of the country. A challenge though is the changing generational aspirations even in our field, but once the right people are identified, the rest falls in place creating a team sharing a common goal and who walk the talk. Another area that I am associated with is managing a nursing and pharma college, where my singular focus is on quality education.
Dr Sonia Lal Gupta
Sr Neurologist (Stroke & Headache Specialist)
Director - Metro Group of Hospitals
Managing Director - Metro College of Health Sciences & Research
What motivated you to leave a flourishing career as an interventional cardiologist in the US to return to India and work in a more challenging environment?
It was a very personal decision for us. After spending years in the US, gaining expertise and exposure to advanced healthcare systems, we felt it was time to return home and make a real difference. Heart disease in India has reached alarming levels, and we wanted to use what we had learned abroad to contribute meaningfully.
Looking back, we’re happy with the impact we’ve made. Honestly, it’s rewarding to see lives change because of the work we do here—something we might not have achieved while staying in New York.
Over the past four years, I’ve also had the privilege of serving as the Co-chair of the Healthcare Committee at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and work closely with other health policy organizations as well. These roles allows me to actively contribute to healthcare policy-making and suggestions that can address the healthcare challenges in India. Being part of these initiatives has not only enriched my professional journey but has also reaffirmed my decision to return
That said, the violence against healthcare professionals in India is something that weighs on our minds. It’s in those tough moments that we question our decision. But overall, the opportunities to influence change make us proud to be here. Plus, there’s nothing like working for your own country. There’s a deep sense of belonging that keeps us motivated.
Where does India stand in terms of expertise in cardiac interventions? And how are you working with NGOs and public campaigns to reach more people?
India has truly come a long way. Today, when it comes to quality of care and expertise in cardiac interventions, we’re at par with some of the best countries in the world. Sure, there are still challenges—resources and skilled manpower in rural areas can be limiting, and technology costs sometimes slow us down—but the talent here is incredible.
Our focus is on two fronts: identifying diseases early and ensuring timely treatment. We partner with NGOs, RWAs, and other organizations to conduct health camps and screening programs, especially in outreach areas. It’s all about raising awareness and catching conditions like cardiovascular disease or even cancer early.
On the treatment side, we’re aligned with the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, which is a game-changer for affordable healthcare in India. It’s a privilege to be part of this vision and help bring advanced treatment to those who need it most. That combined with all other government and private insurances allow us to treat a wide range of patients from different backgrounds.
As Director of Metro Group of Hospitals, what are you doing to bring in advanced technology and build futuristic infrastructure?
For any multi-specialty hospital to thrive, three things are non-negotiable: good infrastructure, cutting-edge technology, and skilled manpower. And we are always investing in these areas. All of our facilities are NABH-accredited, which reassures patients about the quality of care we provide.
We’ve brought in some amazing technology, like latest radiology systems, robotics, and specialized cardiac imaging tools. Our Cath Lab, for instance, has an OCT machine with AI facility , which is one of the most advanced tools for cardiac interventions. It’s something only a handful of hospitals in North India have.
At the same time, we ensure our teams stay updated. Regular CME sessions, collaborations with doctors from other specialties , and even international exchanges keep our staff ahead of the curve. And it’s not just about technology—it’s about how teams from different specialties come together to deliver the best care for patients. That multidisciplinary approach makes all the difference. An example is the close collaboration between our cardiology department and the pulmonary medicine department – we run several different clinic like the Pulmonary hypertension clinic, sarcoidosis clinic and the bronchial artery embolization program. This allows us to provide our patients with the complete care for a single disease.
Are there plans to expand to new geographies or diversify into other areas of healthcare?
Absolutely. Expansion is always on our minds. Right now, we’re focusing on growing our presence in the NCR region, but we’re already in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat, and we’ll soon be launching in Moga, Punjab.
Beyond that, education is a big focus area for us. We already run a para-medical college and offer DNB courses, and we have also collaborated with UK’s BAPIO on a healthcare program where residents get a combined MRCP and MBA. We believe that investing in quality education for healthcare professionals will create a ripple effect in the sector. Wherever we grow, the focus will always be on quality and trust.
Dr. Lal established Metro Hospitals with the vision of serving middle and lower-income groups. How are you and your team keeping that vision alive?
Dr. Lal’s vision is at the heart of everything we do. He believed in providing world-class care at an affordable cost, and we’ve carried that forward. What makes us unique is that we focus on middle and lower-income groups, ensuring they get the best possible treatment without worrying about the cost.
One thing we’ve learned is to never turn away a patient because they can’t afford it. Service before self—that’s a principle we live by. We also run free OPDs and community health camps regularly to reach more people who might not otherwise have access to quality healthcare. It’s something we’re deeply committed to, and it’s what keeps us grounded.
Dr. Sameer Gupta is a highly skilled interventional cardiologist and one of the few in India who is Diplomate by 5 prestigious American Boards. He has trained and worked at top-tier institutes in the United States in complex cardiac and peripheral interventions. Dr. Gupta’s contributions to the field have been widely recognized, earning him several accolades, including the ET excellence awards and the status of “Extra Ordinary Ability and Achievement” by the US government. Beyond his clinical expertise, he the Co-Chair of the Healthcare Committee at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and plays a vital role in shaping healthcare initiatives to improve medical services across the country.
Dr. Sameer Gupta
Sr Interventional Cardiologist
Vascular Intervention Specialist
Group Head - Cardiac Cath Labs
Director - Metro Group of Hospitals
