Dr. Krishna Subramony Iyer

Dr. Krishna Iyer is among India’s leading paediatric cardiac surgeons, widely recognised for his clinical excellence and pioneering contributions to cardiac care for children in India and across developing nations. In 1995, he established Northern India’s first dedicated paediatric cardiac care program at Escorts Heart Institute Research Centre (now Fortis Escorts Heart Institute), a landmark initiative that has since become a benchmark for paediatric cardiac care in India and neighbouring South East Asian countries. With experience spanning decades, Dr. Iyer has successfully operated on over 10,000 babies, children, and adults with congenital heart diseases. His expertise covers a wide spectrum of complex procedures, including arterial switch operations, double switch procedures, TAPVC repairs, Fontan and Fontan-type surgeries, corrections for Tetralogy of Fallot, DORV, Truncus, Senning operations, conduit repairs, and various single-stage and multi-stage corrections for complex congenital conditions. He has also contributed original work in rapid two-stage arterial switch procedures and performed India’s first successful rapid two-stage arterial switch and double switch operations. His current clinical focus includes advancing complex neonatal cardiac surgery, managing cardiac conditions in malnourished infants, treating late-presenting congenital heart disease cases, and developing cost-effective cardiac care solutions for children in resource-limited settings. After completing his foundational training, Dr. Iyer served in the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at AIIMS, where he held the position of Additional Professor before moving to Escorts to establish its paediatric cardiac division. He further refined his expertise as a Senior Fellow under the guidance of renowned paediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. R.B.B. Mee at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Beyond clinical work, Dr. Iyer is actively involved in charitable initiatives

During his academic career Dr. Iyer has won many awards. Some of these are the Institute Gold Medal for Best Graduate of the year at MBBS examination, Sorel Catherine Friemna Prize for proficiency in Paediatrics, Pfizer Postgraduate Medical Award, Gold Medal and Scroll of Honour, Hira Lal Gold Medal for being the best postgraduate in General Surgery. He was awarded the Doppler award for best paper at the Sixth International Symposium on Echocardiography in Cardiac Surgery held in Washington D.C. in 1994. He has been designated Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International Foundation for humanitarian services for children.