Neonatology is an advanced subdivision of pediatrics concentrating on newborn medicine, particularly critical or premature neonates. Some of India’s top-notch neonatologists handle world-class care for newborn babies with complex issues, and all efforts are put into giving these infants the maximum possible advantage in terms of improvement.
They receive training to tackle premature births, neonatal intensive care (NICU), birth defects, breathing difficulties, and other acute conditions of newborn babies. Their commitment and skills have aided many families in overcoming the challenges of newborn care. This article acknowledges some of the top neonatologists in India who are known for their impressive medical abilities, kind care, and contributions to neonatal medicine.
Top 10 Neonatologists in India
1) Dr. Arvind Shenoi
Location: Cloudnine Hospital, Bangalore
Experience: More than 30 years in neonatology
Dr. Arvind Shenoi is a brilliant and experienced neonatologist and is considered one of the topmost in caring for very preterm babies in India. He is known for his patient-first approach and great experience in implementing sophisticated neonatal intensive care policies.
As the Chief of Neonatology in Bangalore at Cloudnine Hospital, Dr. Shenoi has worked towards realizing spectacular survival in extremely premature babies weighing less than 28 weeks of gestation. His specific interest areas are techniques of neonatal ventilation, surfactant treatment, handling extremely low birth weight infants, and total neurodevelopmental follow-up of NICU graduates.
At different points in his career, Dr. Shenoi has received many awards for his contributions to neonatal care and has published numerous research papers on minimizing ventilator-associated lung injury in neonates. He has also trained generations of neonatologists across the country. With over 30 years of experience and a commitment to medical excellence, he continues to be at the leading edge of advanced neonatal intensive care in India.
2) Dr. Sushma Nangia
Address: Lady Hardinge Medical College and Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, New Delhi
Experience: More than 25 years in neonatology
Dr. Sushma Nangia is an expert and renowned neonatologist who is considered to be one of the leading specialists in neonatal respiratory care in India. She is known for her evidence-based practice and rich experience in formulating holistic protocols for the management of critically ill newborns.
As the Head of Neonatology at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital in New Delhi, Dr. Nangia has played a key role in formulating national guidelines for neonatal resuscitation and respiratory care. Her interests include the management of respiratory distress syndrome, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, neonatal transport systems, and the introduction of kangaroo mother care.
At various stages in her career, Dr. Nangia has been the President of the National Neonatology Forum and has also coordinated various multi-center research studies on cost-effective interventions for neonatal care. She has also been a central policy advisor to national health policies concerning newborn care. With more than 25 years of experience and a focus on medical excellence, she remains at the cutting edge of neonatal respiratory management and community-level models of neonatal care in India.
3) Dr. Jayashree Mondkar
Location: Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and Hospital (Sion Hospital), Mumbai
Experience: More than 30 years of experience in neonatology
Dr. Jayashree Mondkar is a renowned and experienced neonatologist who is considered to be a pioneer in human milk banking and breastfeeding promotion in India. She is known for her commitment to enhancing neonatal nutrition and having extensive experience in the management of neonatal infections in resource-constrained environments.
As the Head of Neonatology at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and Hospital in Mumbai, Dr. Mondkar has been instrumental in establishing one of India’s first comprehensive human milk banks and developing protocols for donor milk processing and distribution. Her areas of expertise are human milk banking, breastfeeding support programs, infection prevention in NICUs, and nutritional management of vulnerable newborns.
At various stages in her career, Dr. Mondkar has been awarded numerous accolades for her contributions towards advocating breastfeeding practices and has also been a member of various national committees for policy development in newborn care. She has also been an articulate voice in advocating family-centered care in NICUs. With a career spanning more than 30 years and a commitment to medical excellence, she remains at the forefront of neonatal nutrition and infection control in India.
4) Dr. Praveen Kumar
Location: Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh
Experience: More than 25 years in neonatology
Dr. Praveen Kumar is a renowned and experienced neonatologist and one of the most respected experts on neonatal nutrition in India. He is known for his attention to detail in nutritional management and large experience in taking care of extremely low birth weight babies.
As a senior neonatologist at PGIMER in Chandigarh, Dr. Kumar has played a key role in creating customized feeding algorithms and parenteral nutrition guidelines for critically ill neonates. His areas of clinical interest include preterm infant nutritional management, newborn metabolic disorders, long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes, and quality improvement in neonatal intensive care.
At various stages in his career, Dr. Kumar has been the principal investigator of a number of multicenter trials on neonatal nutrition and has published widely in international journals. He has also been an advisor to national newborn care health programs and has trained many neonatologists in sophisticated nutritional management. With more than 25 years of experience and dedication to medical excellence, he remains at the forefront of neonatal nutrition research and practice in India.
5) Dr. Deepak Chawla
Location: Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh
Experience: More than 20 years in neonatology
Dr. Deepak Chawla is a very experienced and successful neonatologist, best known as among the leading supporters of evidence-based neonatal practices in India. He is most noted for being dedicated to quality improvement programs and having a broad experience in adopting research results in clinical practice.
Being a Professor of Neonatology at Chandigarh’s Government Medical College & Hospital, Dr. Chawla has played a crucial role in driving quality improvement collaboratives in Indian NICUs and dramatically decreasing rates of hospital-acquired infections. His areas of interest include evidence-based practices, NICU quality improvement, point-of-care ultrasound for neonatal care, neonatal hemodynamics, and non-invasive respiratory support strategies.
At various stages in his career, Dr. Chawla has played an important role in building national neonatal research networks and has authored many papers on maximizing neonatal care in low-resource settings. He is further renowned for his guidance of early-stage neonatologists and his devotion to translational research. With over 20 years of experience and a dedication to continuous quality improvement, he continues to be at the leading edge of evidence-based neonatal practices in India.
6) Dr. Neelam Kler
Address: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
Experience: More than 26 years in neonatology
Dr. Neelam Kler is a trailblazing neonatologist who has pioneered neonatal intensive care in India. She was instrumental in the development of the Department of Neonatology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where she brought innovative methods in neonatal ventilation and premature infant care. With her at the helm, the hospital recorded a 90% survival rate for extremely premature babies (less than 1,000 grams).
She has played a key role in developing neonatal healthcare policies in association with agencies such as UNICEF and WHO. Her work has helped improve neonatal nutrition, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) treatment, and neonatal sepsis.
Awards & Recognition:
- Padma Bhushan Award (2014) for neonatology contributions
- Pioneer of neonatal ventilation and surfactant therapy in India
- Member of National Neonatology Forum (NNF) India
7) Dr. Karthik Nagesh
Location: Manipal Hospital, Bangalore
Experience: More than 28 years in neonatology
Dr. Karthik Nagesh is a world-renowned neonatologist with expertise in neonatal intensive care (NICU), ventilation management, and surfactant therapy. As the Chairman of the Manipal Advanced Children’s Center, he has effectively treated more than 20,000 critically ill neonates, including extreme preterm and low birth weight infants.
He is credited with being the first to use surfactant therapy in India, improving survival rates of premature infants with lung diseases. His area of expertise includes high-frequency ventilation, neonatal resuscitation, and neonatal neurodevelopmental care.
Awards & Recognition:
- Fellowship of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, London
- Established guidelines for neonatal transport and NICU quality improvement initiatives
- Speaker in international neonatology conferences and research panels
8) Dr. Kumar Ankur
Location: Max Healthcare, Delhi
Experience: More than 19 years in neonatology
Dr. Kumar Ankur is Director and Head, Neonatology Department in Max Healthcare with expertise in critical care neonatology, neonatal nutrition, and non-invasive respiratory support. His experience consists of dealing with very preterm infants (pregnancy terminated before 28 weeks) and applying developmental support care measures in order to advance long-term neonatal health.
He has carried out numerous research studies on neonatal sepsis, jaundice, and neurodevelopmental care, adding to the development of neonatology in India.
Awards & Recognition:
- Active member of National Neonatology Forum (NNF) India
- Guides NICU quality improvement and infection control programs
- Published numerous research papers on neonatal intensive care improvements
9) Dr. Vivek Jain
Location: Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi
Experience: More than 13 years in neonatology
Dr. Vivek Jain is a Senior Director and Head of Neonatology at Fortis Hospital with expertise in treating high-risk neonates, extreme preterm babies, and neonatal nutrition. He is well recognized for his skills in neonatal resuscitation and ventilation, which assist in enhancing the survival rate among premature infants.
Dr. Jain has been key in establishing advanced NICU facilities and has trained several healthcare workers in neonatal critical care and infection control practices.
Awards & Recognition:
- Expert in Neonatal Resuscitation and Advanced Neonatal Care
- Forefront researcher in preventing neonatal brain injury
- Contributor to several scientific journals in neonatology
10) Dr. Susan Fernandes
Location: The Children’s Hospital, Mumbai
Experience: More than 15 years in neonatology
Dr. Susan Fernandes is a well-known neonatologist with expertise in neonatal follow-up programs, high-risk neonatal care, and perinatal asphyxia management. She has been instrumental in establishing sophisticated NICU protocols for premature babies and congenitally ill babies.
She specializes in long-term neonatal care and neurodevelopmental follow-up at The Children’s Hospital Mumbai, making sure that premature and critically ill babies receive constant medical and developmental care.
Awards & Recognition:
- Pioneer in neonatal follow-up care of high-risk neonates
- Has organized several workshops on neonatal neurodevelopment
- Is actively engaged in NICU infection control programs.
When to Consult with a Doctor?
It is always important to visit a physician if you experience some abnormal symptoms or health issues, particularly if they are persistent or are becoming worse over time. Some of the most important situations under which medical consultation is important are as follows:
- Persistent Symptoms: In case you have persistent fever, pain, weakness, or unexplained weight loss, a physician’s check-up is needed.
- Severe or Sudden Illness: Sudden onset of high temperature, breathlessness, chest discomfort, or extreme headache calls for immediate medical care.
- Chronic Disease Management: Diabetic, hypertensive, heart patients, or other chronic disease patients must be seen regularly.
- Infection or Inflammation: Repeated infections, rashes on the skin, swelling, or any indication of an allergy episode must be treated by a medical professional.
- Mental Illness: If you are constantly worried, depressed, or have mood swings, you may want to see a doctor or mental health expert.
- Pregnancy & Neonatal Care: Pregnant women and newborns need frequent medical check-ups to have a healthy pregnancy and good neonatal care.
- Preventive Health Check-ups: Regular health check-ups and screenings even in the absence of symptoms detect conditions early and avoid complications.
- If you are not sure whether to consult a doctor, it is always advisable to take professional medical advice instead of waiting.
Conclusion
India boasts some of the finest neonatologists who are contributing remarkably towards newborn critical care, NICU management, and neonatal research. These physicians have played a key role in minimizing neonatal mortality rates, enhancing NICU standards for care, and creating new treatment regimens for premature and critically ill infants. Their skills and commitment continue to play a remarkable role in neonatal healthcare in India.