Coming home to heal: Rise of returning doctors from US & UK reshaping Hyderabad's healthcare

Time of India

8 hours ago

HYDERABAD: In a quiet but profound trend, a growing number of Indian doctors who once pursued careers in the United States and the United Kingdom are now making their way back home-bringing with them decades of global experience and a renewed commitment to serve their country.
Hyderabad, with its booming healthcare infrastructure and growing demand for specialised care, has emerged as a hub for these returnees, many of whom are not only joining leading hospitals but are also setting up their own healthcare institutions.
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At the heart of this movement is a deep sense of purpose-personal, professional, and patriotic. Some doctors are drawn back by the desire to care for aging parents. Others return driven by a vision to contribute to India's rapidly evolving medical landscape.
For many, it's a blend of both.
The city is now home to the Returning Doctors Association, an informal network of over 150 physicians who have resettled here after stints abroad. Dr Kavitha Gone, a senior nephrologist who returned from the UK after 16 years, is one of the key voices in this community. "This isn't a formal organisation. It's more of a support system-a circle where returning doctors share experiences, guidance, and advice.
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Medical protocols differ greatly across countries, so this peer-to-peer help has been invaluable," she said.
Dr Kavitha spent six years working in a corporate hospital upon her return before launching her own practice. "The transition was challenging but rewarding. Coming back home was about giving back, but also about redefining what quality care can look like in India," she reflected. Several returnees have gone a step further and founded hospitals of their own.
Among them is Dr Venkatesh Movva, a pioneer in regenerative medicine and founder of RegenOrthoSport.
After nearly a decade in the US, he made a conscious decision to return. "Of course, the US is more lucrative, but for me, it was about impact. In India, we still over-rely on surgery for even minor injuries," he said.
Dr Karthik Mikkilineni, a vascular surgeon certified by the American Board of Surgery and now practising at RIVEA Vascular Institute, echoed a similar sentiment.
"I came back post-Covid with a clear purpose-to bridge the gaps in clinical protocols. In many cases, surgeries and tests are rushed into without sufficient evaluation," he explained.
Interestingly, while physicians have historically returned from both the US and the UK, recent years have seen a stronger trend of repatriation from the US. Dr Venkata Swamy, founder of Roma Hospital and a trauma orthopaedic specialist, has returned from the UK twice.
A native of Karimnagar, his mission has remained rooted in community care. "A decade ago, I returned to set up a hospital in my village. I came back again two years ago to start a hospital in the city. This is more than a profession-it's about building healthcare access in the places that shaped me," he said.