Dr Nitin Kansal: A Visionary Cardiologist Shaping The Future Of Patient-Centered Care
Dr Nitin Kansal
Medical Director
His journey began in 1993 at the prestigious King George Medical College, Lucknow, after securing an impressive AIR of 250.
Those formative years, shaped by eminent mentors, ignited his deep commitment to understanding disease and alleviating patient suffering clarifying early on that cardiology would be his life’s calling.
Driven by this conviction, Dr Nitin completed his MD in Internal Medicine from MLN Medical College, Allahabad, followed by a senior residency at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
He then secured the only available DM Cardiology seat at KMC Manipal, where he later served as Assistant and Associate Professor.
His pursuit of excellence took him to McMaster University Canada, for a fellowship in electrophysiology, along with observerships at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Pennsylvania.
Returning to India in 2014, he made Jaipur his professional home. Joining Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital in 2017, he found a guiding force in Shri Yogendra Durlabhji, whose visionary mentorship nurtured his leadership.
Rising rapidly from Director of Electro-physiology to Head of Cardiology, he now serves as Medical Director, leading with ethics, empathy, and unwavering commitment to patient care.
As a Kasturba Medical College alumnus, what transformative learning experiences shaped you?
Kasturba Medical College is not just a medical institution; it is an ideology. It delivers exceptional education, shapes its alumni to think holistically, and gives wings to their imagination by connecting them with global leaders across medical specialities.
My years at KMC played a key role in helping me secure a highly competitive electrophysiology fellowship in Canada, supported by strong recommendation letters from its alumni.
At KMC, I learned humility, attention to detail, and the ability to draw lessons from every experience. It also taught me to be gentle yet firm in leadership roles.
How have you made use of the alumni network when you were a student and after graduating?
It was the strong KMC alumni network that helped me secure the highly competitive fellowship at McMaster University in Canada. The connections I built at KMC, especially with Fulbright Scholar Dr Normand, opened doors to observership opportunities in the USA, which significantly shaped my professional growth.
The cardiology alumni network of KMC not only strengthens our collective expertise but also plays a vital role in mentoring and advancing the careers of younger alumni.
What is one memory that stands out the most from your time at Kasturba Medical College?
The aura of KMC remains unforgettable. Its world class library is still one of the finest I have seen. It was a treasure that could put many global universities to shame. The six-level sports complex and the compact, vibrant campus created a township where one could live simply yet with unmatched quality.
Manipal is truly the mecca of medical education; once you experience it, the aura stays with you for life. Even today, I feel a pull to return, because KMC offered everything a student could dream of: excellence, balance and an environment that shaped who I am.
What is your perspective on the latest medical innovations, and how are you integrating them within your hospital?
The healthcare sector evolves at an extra ordinary pace. Treatments once considered the gold standard become obsolete within a decade, and conditions once believed incurable are now routinely treated.
In cardiology, for instance, no one imagined that we could open a blocked artery within 20-30 minutes and send a heart attack patient home with a completely normal heart. Medicine, surgery, and allied fields are constantly growing, and anyone who resists innovation risks becoming irrelevant.
Today, the most disruptive force is AI. It will transform areas that rely heavily on imaging, as no human can store or analyze that volume of visual data instantly. Yet, AI cannot replace the human touch, clinical judgment, or understanding of symptoms. Instead, it will complement
How have you made use of the alumni network when you were a student and after graduating?
It was the strong KMC alumni network that helped me secure the highly competitive fellowship at McMaster University in Canada. The connections I built at KMC, especially with Fulbright Scholar Dr Normand, opened doors to observership opportunities in the USA, which significantly shaped my professional growth.
The cardiology alumni network of KMC not only strengthens our collective expertise but also plays a vital role in mentoring and advancing the careers of younger alumni.
What is one memory that stands out the most from your time at Kasturba Medical College?
The aura of KMC remains unforgettable. Its world class library is still one of the finest I have seen. It was a treasure that could put many global universities to shame. The six-level sports complex and the compact, vibrant campus created a township where one could live simply yet with unmatched quality.
Manipal is truly the mecca of medical education; once you experience it, the aura stays with you for life. Even today, I feel a pull to return, because KMC offered everything a student could dream of: excellence, balance and an environment that shaped who I am.
What is your perspective on the latest medical innovations, and how are you integrating them within your hospital?
The healthcare sector evolves at an extra ordinary pace. Treatments once considered the gold standard become obsolete within a decade, and conditions once believed incurable are now routinely treated.
In cardiology, for instance, no one imagined that we could open a blocked artery within 20-30 minutes and send a heart attack patient home with a completely normal heart. Medicine, surgery, and allied fields are constantly growing, and anyone who resists innovation risks becoming irrelevant.
Today, the most disruptive force is AI. It will transform areas that rely heavily on imaging, as no human can store or analyze that volume of visual data instantly. Yet, AI cannot replace the human touch, clinical judgment, or understanding of symptoms. Instead, it will complement
clinicians. Embracing innovation is essential for progress and for delivering the best patient care.
Describe your leadership style. What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
My leadership style is largely participative and democratic. I believe in assigning responsibilities to the right people and giving them the freedom to make decisions and design their own methods to achieve results.
As Medical Director, I delegate work across departments, quality academics, administration, and engineering because each domain needs experts, not micro-management. I monitor progress, offer guidance, and help teams anticipate and navigate potential challenges.
For me, leadership means building a strong team, trusting their abilities, and moving forward together rather than dictating from the top.
What future destination you are heading towards?
As Medical Director, I see myself taking SDMH to the next level while ensuring that quality and compassion remain at the heart of our care.
My approach is inclusive, giving young doctors and managers space to grow while expanding the hospital’s capabilities. I aim to introduce new specialities, upgrade existing departments, and adopt advanced technologies such as robotic and navigation assisted surgeries.
With medicine evolving into highly focused subspecialties, I want to bring in experts, hand surgeons spine surgeons, and micro vascular specialists to offer truly specialized care. In the future, if life leads me else where I may explore leadership roles in teaching institutions, but for now, my focus is fully on strengthening SDMH.
Dr Nitin Kansal, Medical Director, Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital
Dr Nitin Kansal is an astute clinician with a penchant for details and quality care. He loves being honest and ethical. He has over 20 years of experience in the field of cardiology, encompassing both inter - ventional cardiology and electrophysiology. He is an academician at heart and loves to disseminate knowledge.
•Hobbies: Sketching and painting
•Favorite Cuisine: North Indian Cuisine
•Favorite Book: Who Took My Cheese Away
•Favorite Travel Destination: Places of mythological importance
•Awards & Recognition: Second Runner up at the India Young scholar award for cardio- logy Trainees.
Describe your leadership style. What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
My leadership style is largely participative and democratic. I believe in assigning responsibilities to the right people and giving them the freedom to make decisions and design their own methods to achieve results.
As Medical Director, I delegate work across departments, quality academics, administration, and engineering because each domain needs experts, not micro-management. I monitor progress, offer guidance, and help teams anticipate and navigate potential challenges.
For me, leadership means building a strong team, trusting their abilities, and moving forward together rather than dictating from the top.
What future destination you are heading towards?
As Medical Director, I see myself taking SDMH to the next level while ensuring that quality and compassion remain at the heart of our care.
My approach is inclusive, giving young doctors and managers space to grow while expanding the hospital’s capabilities. I aim to introduce new specialities, upgrade existing departments, and adopt advanced technologies such as robotic and navigation assisted surgeries.
With medicine evolving into highly focused subspecialties, I want to bring in experts, hand surgeons spine surgeons, and micro vascular specialists to offer truly specialized care. In the future, if life leads me else where I may explore leadership roles in teaching institutions, but for now, my focus is fully on strengthening SDMH.
Dr Nitin Kansal, Medical Director, Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital
Dr Nitin Kansal is an astute clinician with a penchant for details and quality care. He loves being honest and ethical. He has over 20 years of experience in the field of cardiology, encompassing both inter - ventional cardiology and electrophysiology. He is an academician at heart and loves to disseminate knowledge.
•Hobbies: Sketching and painting
•Favorite Cuisine: North Indian Cuisine
•Favorite Book: Who Took My Cheese Away
•Favorite Travel Destination: Places of mythological importance
•Awards & Recognition: Second Runner up at the India Young scholar award for cardio- logy Trainees.