When a cardiologist at home says the word “bypass” or “valve replacement”, the next question is almost always the same: who should do it? In many African countries, open-heart surgery is done in only a handful of centres, waiting lists are long, and complex cases or babies with heart defects are often referred abroad.
India is where many of those families go. Its senior heart surgeons have each done tens of thousands of operations, and a bypass that costs well over USD 70,000 in the US starts from around USD 4,500 at an accredited hospital in Delhi.
This guide names 10 of the most experienced heart surgeons in India, seven for adults and three for children, and explains what the trip looks like from Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Kenya, Ghana and Mauritius.
Quick answer
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Heart bypass surgery cost in India | From USD 4,500 |
| Heart valve replacement cost | From USD 7,500 |
| Child heart defect repair (ASD/VSD) | From USD 5,500 |
| Time in hospital | 7 to 10 days for open-heart surgery |
| Total time in India | About 3 weeks for open-heart surgery, 1 week for angioplasty |
| Where the surgeons are | Delhi NCR: New Delhi, Gurugram and Faridabad |
| Visa | e-Medical visa if your nationality is eligible, plus a medical attendant visa for one family member |
For department-level details, see cardiac surgery in India.
How We Chose These 10 Surgeons
We used four tests, in this order:
- Experience. Every adult surgeon on this list has at least 18 years in cardiac surgery, and most have more than 30. Where a surgeon’s hospital publishes an operation count, we include it.
- Hospital standard. Each one operates at a JCI and/or NABH accredited hospital with a cardiac ICU, a cath lab and an international patient desk.
- Range of work. Between them, these surgeons cover bypass, valve repair and replacement, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, heart transplant and heart surgery for newborns and children.
- Remote review before travel. Each team will review an echo, angiogram and doctor’s summary sent from abroad and give a written plan and cost before you book a flight.
The numbers below are not a ranking. The right surgeon for you depends on the operation you need and, for children, the exact heart defect. You can also compare their hospitals on our best hospitals for cardiac surgery in India page.
The Top 10 Heart Surgeons in India (2026)
| # | Surgeon | Hospital and city | Experience | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr Naresh Trehan | Medanta, Gurugram | 45+ years, 48,000+ procedures | Padma Vibhushan, robotic and transplant surgery |
| 2 | Dr Z S Meharwal | Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi | 38+ years, 30,000+ procedures | Bypass in elderly and high-risk patients |
| 3 | Dr Yugal Kishore Mishra | Manipal Hospital Dwarka, New Delhi | 43+ years, 19,000+ open-heart surgeries | Valve, aortic and heart failure surgery |
| 4 | Dr Surendra Nath Khanna | Artemis, Gurugram | 34+ years, 21,000+ cardiac surgeries | Heart and heart-lung transplant |
| 5 | Dr Rajneesh Malhotra | Max Saket, New Delhi | 34+ years | Robotic and minimally invasive surgery |
| 6 | Dr Bhaba Nanda Das | Indraprastha Apollo, New Delhi | 37+ years | Beating-heart bypass, double valve |
| 7 | Dr Udgeath Dhir | Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram | 18+ years, 7,500+ procedures | Mitral valve repair |
| 8 | Dr Krishna Subramony Iyer | Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi | 40+ years | Newborn and congenital heart surgery |
| 9 | Dr Rajesh Sharma | Marengo Asia Hospital, Faridabad | 30+ years, 20,000+ procedures | Complex child heart defects |
| 10 | Dr Kulbhushan Singh Dagar | Max Saket, New Delhi | 32+ years | Neonatal heart surgery, child valve repair |
Operation counts are as published on each surgeon’s profile. They show experience, not results.
Adult heart surgeons
1. Dr Naresh Trehan, Medanta The Medicity, Gurugram
Dr Trehan is Chairman and Managing Director of Medanta The Medicity and one of the best-known heart surgeons in the world. He trained in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at New York University Medical Center and practised in the US before returning to India.
His profile lists more than 48,000 procedures over 45 years. He has received the Padma Vibhushan (2017), the Padma Bhushan (2001) and the Dr B.C. Roy Award. His work covers bypass, valve repair, robotic heart surgery and heart transplant.
Best for: complex or repeat heart surgery and patients who want the most senior name in Indian cardiac surgery. View Dr Trehan’s profile.
2. Dr Z S Meharwal, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi
Dr Meharwal is Chairman and Head of Adult Cardiac Surgery at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, one of India’s oldest dedicated heart hospitals. His profile lists over 30,000 procedures in 38 years.
He is known for off-pump bypass and for operating on older and high-risk patients. He entered the Limca Book of Records in 2008 for a bypass on a 94-year-old patient, and received a Citation Award from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2002.
Best for: elderly patients and those with diabetes or kidney problems who need a bypass. View Dr Meharwal’s profile.
3. Dr Yugal Kishore Mishra, Manipal Hospital Dwarka, New Delhi
Dr Mishra is Chairman of the Manipal Institute of Cardiac Sciences at Manipal Hospital Dwarka. With more than 19,000 open-heart surgeries over 43 years and a PhD in cardiovascular surgery, he is one of the most experienced valve and aortic surgeons in the country.
He performs bypass, valve repair and replacement, aortic surgery and surgery for heart failure, including minimally invasive and robotic approaches.
Best for: valve disease, including rheumatic valve disease, which is common in patients from Africa. View Dr Mishra’s profile.
4. Dr Surendra Nath Khanna, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram
Dr Khanna is Chairperson of Adult Cardiac Surgery and Heart-Lung Transplant at Artemis Hospital. His profile lists more than 21,000 cardiac surgeries in 34 years.
Alongside routine bypass and valve work, he runs one of the few programmes in India that does heart transplant, heart-lung transplant and LVAD implants for end-stage heart failure.
Best for: severe heart failure where a transplant or LVAD is being considered. View Dr Khanna’s profile.
5. Dr Rajneesh Malhotra, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket
Dr Malhotra is Chairman and Head of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at Max Saket, with 34 years in practice. He trained in Uppsala, Sweden, and in the US in port-access, da Vinci robotic and valve repair techniques.
He does minimally invasive bypass through small cuts, robotic surgery, mitral and aortic valve repair, heart transplant, LVAD and ECMO.
Best for: patients who want keyhole or robotic heart surgery and a faster return to normal life. View Dr Malhotra’s profile.
6. Dr Bhaba Nanda Das, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi
Dr Das is Senior Consultant in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo, with 37 years of experience. He holds WHO and Commonwealth fellowships and received Apollo’s Award for Clinical Excellence in 2016.
His work includes beating-heart bypass, double valve replacement, aortic aneurysm surgery and congenital heart surgery in adults.
Best for: patients who need more than one valve replaced at the same time. View Dr Das’s profile.
7. Dr Udgeath Dhir, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram
Dr Dhir is Principal Director of Cardio Thoracic Vascular Surgery at Fortis Memorial Research Institute. He is the youngest surgeon on this list, with 18 years of practice and more than 7,500 procedures.
He trained in rheumatic mitral valve repair at the Central Chest Institute in Bangkok and in TAVI. Repairing a valve, rather than replacing it, can mean no lifelong blood thinners, which matters for younger patients and women planning a pregnancy.
Best for: younger patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease who want a repair instead of a replacement. View Dr Dhir’s profile.
Paediatric heart surgeons
8. Dr Krishna Subramony Iyer, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi
Dr Iyer is Chairman and Head of Paediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute. He trained at AIIMS and in 1995 set up northern India’s first dedicated children’s heart surgery programme.
With more than 40 years of experience, he operates on newborns and children with the full range of congenital heart defects.
Best for: babies and young children with complex heart defects. View Dr Iyer’s profile.
9. Dr Rajesh Sharma, Marengo Asia Hospital, Faridabad
Dr Sharma is Clinical Director of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery at Marengo Asia Hospital Faridabad. He trained at AIIMS and his profile lists more than 20,000 procedures over 30 years.
He handles the hardest child heart cases, including transposition of the great arteries, Fontan surgery, paediatric ECMO, heart transplant and LVAD in children.
Best for: single-ventricle hearts and other defects that need staged surgery. View Dr Sharma’s profile.
10. Dr Kulbhushan Singh Dagar, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket
Dr Dagar is Chairman of Neonatal and Congenital Heart Surgery at Max Saket, with 32 years in cardiac surgery. He focuses on complex defects in newborns and valve repair in children.
He has also published on heart-lung bypass in infants with sickle cell disease. This is directly relevant to families from West and East Africa, where sickle cell is common.
Best for: newborns, and children with sickle cell disease who need heart surgery. View Dr Dagar’s profile.
For more specialists, see our lists of top cardiac surgeons in India and top paediatric surgeons in India.
Which Heart Operation Do You Need?
The surgeon you choose should match the operation. These are the procedures patients from Africa travel for most often, with starting prices at our partner hospitals:
| Procedure | What it treats | Starting cost (USD) | Hospital stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angioplasty and stenting | One or two blocked arteries, opened with a balloon and stent | 3,800 | 2 to 3 days |
| Heart bypass surgery (CABG) | Several blocked arteries | 4,500 | 7 to 10 days |
| Robotic bypass | Selected blockages, through small cuts | 7,000 | 5 to 7 days |
| Heart valve replacement | A narrowed or leaking valve, often from rheumatic fever | 7,500 | 7 to 10 days |
| Robotic mitral valve repair | A leaking mitral valve, repaired instead of replaced | 8,000 | 5 to 7 days |
| TAVI / TAVR | A narrowed aortic valve in older or high-risk patients, without open surgery | 38,000 | 4 to 6 days |
| ASD/VSD closure | A hole in the heart | 5,500 | 3 to 7 days |
| Tetralogy of Fallot repair | A combination of four defects in a child’s heart | 6,000 | 10 to 14 days |
| Heart transplant | End-stage heart failure | 40,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
The final price depends on your reports, the hospital and the type of valve or stent used. More child procedures, such as the arterial switch operation and Glenn shunt, are listed on our paediatric treatments page.
A note on rheumatic heart disease
Many adults and teenagers from sub-Saharan Africa who need heart surgery have rheumatic heart disease, which damages the mitral and aortic valves after untreated strep throat in childhood. If this is your diagnosis, ask whether your valve can be repaired. A repair avoids lifelong warfarin, which needs regular blood tests that can be hard to get in rural areas. Dr Udgeath Dhir and Dr Yugal Kishore Mishra both have particular experience here.
Heart Surgery Cost in India in Your Currency
Here are the three most common operations converted into each country’s currency:
| Country | Bypass (from USD 4,500) | Valve replacement (from USD 7,500) | Child ASD/VSD repair (from USD 5,500) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | about ₦6.0 million | about ₦10.0 million | about ₦7.3 million |
| Tanzania | about TSh 11.9 million | about TSh 19.8 million | about TSh 14.5 million |
| Uganda | about USh 15.8 million | about USh 26.3 million | about USh 19.3 million |
| Ethiopia | about 738,000 Birr | about 1.23 million Birr | about 902,000 Birr |
| Mozambique | about 288,000 MT | about 479,000 MT | about 351,000 MT |
| Kenya | about KSh 583,000 | about KSh 971,000 | about KSh 712,000 |
| Ghana | about GH₵ 54,000 | about GH₵ 90,000 | about GH₵ 66,000 |
| Mauritius | about Rs 207,000 | about Rs 345,000 | about Rs 253,000 |
Converted at approximate October 2026 exchange rates. Hospitals quote and bill in US dollars.
What the package covers
- The surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fees and the operating theatre
- ICU stay and a standard room for the planned number of days
- Routine tests, medicines and meals for the patient during the stay
- Standard implants. Mechanical or premium tissue valves and some stents cost extra
What you pay on top
- Flights and visas for the patient and one family member
- A hotel or guest house for the 1 to 2 weeks after discharge before you fly
- Medicines to take home, such as blood thinners after a valve replacement
For a full trip budget with these extra costs included, see our real cost of a surgery trip to India.
Getting to India: Flights and Visas by Country
All 10 surgeons work in Delhi NCR, so every family flies into Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. Faridabad and Gurugram are 40 to 60 minutes by road from the airport.
| Country | Usual route to Delhi | Country guide |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | From Lagos or Abuja with one stop, usually Addis Ababa, Dubai or Doha | Heart surgery in India for Nigerians |
| Tanzania | From Dar es Salaam via Mumbai, Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Dubai | Coming soon |
| Uganda | From Entebbe via Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Dubai or Doha | Coming soon |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopian Airlines flies non-stop from Addis Ababa to Delhi | Heart surgery in India from Ethiopia |
| Mozambique | From Maputo via Johannesburg, Addis Ababa or Nairobi | Heart surgery in India from Mozambique |
| Kenya | Kenya Airways to Mumbai, then a domestic flight; or via Addis Ababa or Dubai | Coming soon |
| Ghana | From Accra via Addis Ababa, Dubai or Nairobi | Heart surgery in India from Ghana |
| Mauritius | Air Mauritius to Mumbai, then a domestic flight | Coming soon |
Airline routes change, so confirm schedules when you book. Heart patients should check with their doctor before flying, and ask the airline for wheelchair help at each airport.
Visa steps
- Get the hospital invitation letter. The hospital issues it after reviewing your reports. It names the patient, the attendant and the treatment.
- Apply for the e-Medical visa on the official Indian e-Visa website [nofollow] if your nationality is eligible. Approval usually comes by email in a few working days.
- Apply for the attendant visa at the same time. Up to two family members can travel on linked e-Medical Attendant visas.
- If your country is not eligible for the e-Visa, apply for a regular medical visa at the Indian High Commission or Embassy.
Which one applies to you is explained in e-Medical visa vs regular medical visa. Nigerian, Kenyan and Ethiopian families can also read our medical visa guide for Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia. Our team arranges the invitation letter through our free medical visa assistance.
How Long You Will Stay and What Recovery Looks Like
For open-heart surgery, such as a bypass or valve replacement, plan for about 3 weeks in India. For an angioplasty, about 1 week is usually enough.
- Days 1 to 3: tests, an echo, an angiogram if needed, and a meeting with the surgeon to confirm the plan and cost.
- Surgery day: a bypass or valve operation usually takes 4 to 6 hours.
- Days 1 to 3 after surgery: in the cardiac ICU.
- Days 4 to 10: on the ward, walking a little more each day.
- The following 7 to 10 days: at a nearby hotel, with a check-up and an echo before the surgeon clears the patient to fly.
Children having heart surgery often stay a little longer, especially newborns.
After you go home
- Breastbone healing: after open-heart surgery the breastbone takes about 6 to 8 weeks to heal, so no heavy lifting or driving in that time.
- Blood thinners: after a mechanical valve, warfarin is lifelong, with regular INR blood tests. Find a lab near home before you leave India.
- Follow-up: your surgeon’s team can review your echo and blood reports online, and will write a discharge summary for your cardiologist at home.
- Cardiac rehab: most adults can return to office work in 6 to 8 weeks, and to normal activity in about 3 months.
How to Choose the Right Heart Surgeon
A famous name is not always the best match. Use your diagnosis to narrow the list:
| If you need | Look first at |
|---|---|
| Bypass as an older or high-risk patient | Dr Z S Meharwal, Dr Naresh Trehan |
| Valve repair or replacement, including rheumatic valves | Dr Yugal Kishore Mishra, Dr Udgeath Dhir, Dr Bhaba Nanda Das |
| Keyhole or robotic surgery | Dr Rajneesh Malhotra, Dr Naresh Trehan |
| Heart transplant or LVAD | Dr Surendra Nath Khanna, Dr Rajneesh Malhotra |
| Surgery for a newborn or child | Dr K S Iyer, Dr Rajesh Sharma, Dr Kulbhushan Singh Dagar |
Then ask each team these questions in writing:
- How many of my exact operation does the unit do each year?
- Can my valve be repaired, or must it be replaced? If replaced, mechanical or tissue, and why?
- What does the package include, and how many ICU and ward days does it cover?
- How soon after surgery can the patient fly home?
- Who will review my reports after I return home?
The simplest way to compare is to send the same echo and angiogram to two or three of these surgeons and read their plans side by side. Our article on getting an online second opinion from Indian doctors explains how, and how to choose a medical tourism facilitator in India covers what a good agency should do for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best heart surgeon in India?
Dr Naresh Trehan of Medanta is the best-known, with more than 48,000 procedures and the Padma Vibhushan. But the best surgeon for you depends on the operation. For valve repair, child heart defects or heart transplant, other surgeons on this list may be a better match.
Who is the best heart surgeon in Delhi for children?
Dr K S Iyer at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Dr Rajesh Sharma at Marengo Asia Hospital Faridabad and Dr Kulbhushan Singh Dagar at Max Saket are three of the most experienced paediatric heart surgeons in Delhi NCR.
How much does heart bypass surgery cost in India for a Nigerian patient?
Bypass surgery starts from about USD 4,500, roughly ₦6.0 million at October 2026 rates. Flights, a hotel after discharge and take-home medicines are extra.
What is the cost of heart valve replacement in India for patients from Kenya?
Valve replacement starts from about USD 7,500, roughly KSh 971,000. The type of valve chosen changes the final price.
Can patients from Tanzania, Uganda or Mozambique get a second opinion before travelling?
Yes. Send the echo report, angiogram CD or report and your cardiologist’s letter. These teams will review them and send a written plan and cost estimate, usually within a few days.
How long does a patient from Ghana or Ethiopia stay in India after heart surgery?
About 3 weeks for open-heart surgery and about 1 week for an angioplasty. Ethiopian families can fly non-stop from Addis Ababa to Delhi.
Is heart surgery in India safe?
The surgeons on this list work at JCI or NABH accredited hospitals, and many have done tens of thousands of operations. As with any surgery, risk depends on the patient’s age and other conditions, so ask your surgeon for the risk in your specific case.
Can a child with sickle cell disease have heart surgery in India?
Yes. It needs extra planning around the heart-lung machine, and Dr Kulbhushan Singh Dagar has published work on exactly this. Mention sickle cell status when you send reports.
Get a Free Opinion from India’s Top Heart Surgeons
If you or your child has been told you need heart surgery and you live in Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Kenya, Ghana or Mauritius, the first step is free. Send us the latest echo report, angiogram if you have one, and your cardiologist’s letter.
Our team at Nobel Medi Assistance will share your case with two or three of the surgeons above and send back their written opinions, cost estimates and a travel plan, usually within 24 hours. We prepare the hospital invitation letter for your visa, book your hospital admission and meet you at Delhi airport. Our help costs patients nothing, and you pay the hospital directly.
Get your free opinion or message us on WhatsApp at +91 85868 19140.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Surgeon details are taken from published hospital and profile information as of October 2026 and may change. Treatment decisions are made by the treating doctors.
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