Upasana Kamineni Konidela to take over as Director (Projects) at Apollo as hospital chain plans ₹8600-cr expansion

Upasana Kamineni Konidela will be taking over as Director, Projects, at the Apollo Hospitals. Upasana will be handling growth of the hospital projects under the network across India, Fortune India has learnt exclusively.

In the new role, Upasana, who is currently the Vice Chairman of corporate social responsibility at the hospital network, will be working with the Apollo leadership, clinical teams and project partners on planning and delivery of hospital projects across the country. The role comes at a time when the hospital chain has lined up expansion plans to the tune of Rs 8600 crore.

For Upasana, the key priorities will be taking forward the vision of world class healthcare of her grandfather and founder of apollo hospitals, Dr Prathap C. Reddy.

“My grandfather, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, built Apollo on the belief that world-class healthcare should be within reach of people in India. My responsibility is to carry that belief into the hospitals we build and the facilities we improve,” Upasana Kamineni Konidela said.

“As Apollo grows, I want every project to serve its neighbourhood, create meaningful opportunities for the people who work with us, and help more people take their health into their own hands. We have an opportunity to show the world what thoughtful design, compassionate care and Indian clinical excellence can achieve together,” she said.  

“Good hospital design has a human purpose. Patients should find their way without confusion; families should feel supported; and our doctors and care teams should have spaces that help them deliver excellent care,” she said.  

In her new role, her priorities will include new facilities, expansion and upgrades at the existing hospitals, and consistent design standards across patient spaces.

With focus on more comfortable experience for patients and their families, she will be working with project teams on efficient clinical spaces along with clear signage and wayfinding, easier navigation. She will also support stronger project processes, reporting and coordination from design through opening. 

What is Apollo's expansion plan?

Apollo’s current expansion plan has an estimated total project cost of approximately ₹8600 crore, including approximately ₹1,565 crore of brownfield expansion projects at existing facilities, the hospital said.  

The plan covers a combination of stronger capacity in established markets and new facilities in growing urban centres. The key focus centres being Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru, alongside Lucknow, Varanasi, Indore, Guwahati and Ranchi, among other locations, according to the hospital network.

The work is intended to make advanced care easier to reach and easier to use. In each neighbourhood, a hospital can support patients well beyond a single visit, while creating opportunities for doctors, nurses and other skilled workers and the families who depend on them. Apollo will continue to connect hospital care with prevention and early diagnosis, helping more people take charge of their health. Its ambition is to pair accessible, affordable care with clinical excellence that also makes India a trusted destination for patients from around the world.