About me

Dr. Sunitha Venugopal Internal Medicine Specialist, Start-up Ecosystem Catalyst, Crusader and Activist.

I grew up in a cultured family rooted in traditional values and humane beliefs. I learnt the virtues of hard work and honestyfrom my parents, who are my eternal role models. The highlight of a typical childhood day was playing seven stones (lagori) on the streets with siblings and friends. The whole neighbourhood knew me as a naughty child who would simply not stop talking.

 I was very active in Bharath scout guides and served a few years as a Rajya Puruskar guide before being conferred with the Rasthrapathi Award. During my service, I came face to face with several village dwellers who were deprived of even the basic facilities that are integral to life. Deeply pained by their abject poverty and ignorance, I developed a strong urge to do my bit in the sphere of social development.

  The turning point of my life was the time my father admitted for a bypass surgery. The memories of the day haunt me to this day. Having witnessed the trauma he had to endure, I underwent a deep-seated transformation from within. I desperately wanted to make a difference by nurturing the ability and agility to fix things. Consequently, my approach toeducation changed overnight and I now resolved to make a career in medicine. I completed my MBBS in 2005. Soon after, I entered into a wedlock and moved to Michigan, USA where I did my residency in internal medicine. Post my training. I worked as a hospitalist in Detroit and was affiliated to multiple hospitals there. I supervised and taught several medical students and residents during that span. I also had the opportunity to work with the renowned professor and scientist Dr. Qing-Sheng Mi, and I did a clinical research about MiRNAs during my residency. Those were the busy days ofcooking for the weekdays over the weekends. My Nephrologist husband’s culinary skills were limited to makingMaggie noodles. Although this constraint meant I had to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I must admit that I quite relished eating the noodles he prepared with single-minded devotion.

   I eventually returned to India in 2013 with my husband andthree children. Home is where the heart is and my heart has always been in India. Back home, I shifted focus on social service. As a part of Round Table FICCI FLO, I had the opportunity to do service at government schools. I also worked with the employees of BBMP for various initiatives including breast cancer screening, deworming underprivileged kids, and creating awareness about women hygiene. Going forward, I am more than keen to meet and work with like-minded people across different spheres to make a sustainable difference to the society at large. Given my circle of influence and acquaintance in the medical and corporate arenas, as also my hospital and clinical research experience, I wish to work towards developing a robust start-up ecosystem in the thriving Med-Ed-Tech space, which is ripe with sunrise possibilities rooted in disruptive innovation.

       http://linkedin.com/in/dr-sunitha-venugopal-505863143