Excellence Has No Borders: How A Doctorpreneur Created A World-Class Cancer Hospital Chain

by B.S. Ajaikumar

As a fledgling doctor, what would you choose-practising in rural India or going abroad for financial security?What motivation would you have, if all your money were wiped out in the stock market?How would you face your family?What would you tell those who are dependent on you for their survival?What would you do in the face of such helplessness?In Excellence Has No Borders, Dr B.S. Ajaikumar, an oncologist, answers these questions by narrating his story, which is both inspiring and fascinating. He details how he has made cancer treatment accessible to all, and created a chain of world-class cancer hospitals across India and the United States. Providing a captivating account of his entrepreneurial journey, Dr Ajaikumar recounts the challenges and successes faced by him on the path to becoming a doctorpreneur. The book, containing lessons from his life, shows how tenacity, hard work and self-confidence can go a long way in achieving the unimaginable. It is a must-read for anyone looking for inspiration.

Genres: Business

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 23, 2020

Reviews

[Niharika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for everyone who wishes to be an entrepreneur now or in far future. The book through qualities of Dr. Ajaikumar specifies several entrepreneurial must haves.
One needs to have a strong determination, far sightedness, passion and fearlessness to start something new AND to make it work after that. Values also play an important role in operating a new venture.
Dr. Ajaikumar really improved Indian healthcare, especially the oncology care not only through HCG but by influencing and inspiring many other hospitals without sacrificing his own vision, intent or values.

[Atharva Ameria · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those looking for an inspiration about building something from scratch, this book is your stop. Dr. Ajaikumar really knows how to tell a tale. The book teaches you how to overcome obstacles, how to not lose hope when things seem to fall apart and above all, how we must always aim high. Indian cancer care scenario was in a dire condition and needed a lot of upgradation. From the outset, it looked as if Indian cancer care was more cost-driven and that the patients were in no position to spend their money on a chronic disease like cancer. This is where Dr. Ajaikumar stepped in. With his thorough grit and determination, he changed the whole Indian cancer care landscape for good. He proved that cancer patients will pay if we can bring in the quality dimension to their care. His doctorpreneural journey can go a long way in motivating more number of doctors to become stalwarts in providing high quality health care across India. A MUST READ!.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been on the look out for doctor-entrepreneur books. And found this hardcover copy incidentally at a landmark online sale. Read it with pleasure. At one point, I was a bit taken aback with what seemed like the author's bluntness. But I felt later that it was possibly just the effort to be honest. Looking forward to reading more books like this.

[Sonali · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a terrible read!

This book is a collection of selected incidents from Dr. B. S. Ajaikumar’s life, written quite preposterously. Every story begins with an issue that Dr. Ajai solved and self congratulates himself through the medium of his own words.

It’s an immodest recollection of his life, and don’t get me wrong, he has a lot to be immodest about. He built Health Care Global (HCG) which is a network of cancer care hospitals across india. He was ahead of his time in more ways than one. But such an in your face recounting of his own achievements, qualities and what not makes for an abomination of a book.

Incase you think I am exaggerating, here is an actual excerpt from the book: Chapter name - using partnerships and risk taking to achieve one’s vision.
Chapter content - by nature I am confident.

He also washes dirty linen in public by talking of his family badly in the beginning of the book.

Please Wikipedia his name if you want to know what he built. Don’t read the book.

[Sanjana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know not how other autobiographers manage to do it without sounding condescending or boastful but this book has evidently failed at that. The writing is dry and clipped. It lacks oomph. I get that it's trying to drive home points, but it needn't be said in such a patronizing, vain way. As much as I appreciate his zeal and zest to have gone out and done what he has done, I do not appreciate the constant self praise disguised as thoughtful introspection. Many incidents are mentioned astray and out of context, perhaps just because they were thought to add an element of intrigue to the book.

I honestly liked the epilogue more than the book:
"𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦?"

[Sujay Rainchwar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a reveting account of what it takes to build an institution in India . His history has started when the startup culture was not even born in India, it’s speaks of immense struggle, which one has to endure while trying to do so me constructive work in India. The problem is that the India society is not ready as it’s not mature enough to understand the problem, solutions to it and what it takes to address that.

[Darshan Kumar · Rating 2 out of 5]

One-sided as the book doesn't give the opportunity for the reader to understand the context and operational challenges in forming HCG, I'm tracking the growth of the company and wanted to understand initial challenges & the way forward. There is a strong commitment bias by the authors with lack of detailing.