Picture this: Mumbai, the bustling city of dreams, in the 1950s. A young boy, barely 8, lies in a hospital bed, his legs stilled by polio. The world feels heavy, but his spirit? Unbreakable. That boy was Dr. Suresh Advani, a name now synonymous with hope in India’s fight against cancer. Let’s dive into his remarkable journey, with a touch of his warmth and wit, as if he’s sitting across from us, sharing his story over a cup of chai.
The Early Days: Defying the Odds
Born on August 1, 1947, in Karachi, Suresh Advani’s life began with upheaval. The partition of India forced his Sindhi family—parents, three brothers, and three sisters—to flee to Deolali, Nashik, before settling in Mumbai’s vibrant Ghatkopar. Life was tough, but young Suresh’s world turned upside down when polio struck.
“I remember lying in that hospital bed,” he might say, his eyes twinkling with resilience. “The doctors were kind, but they didn’t have answers. I thought, ‘If they can’t fix me, I’ll become one of them and find a way to help others.’”
Confined to a wheelchair, Suresh faced a society not yet ready to embrace the differently-abled. Yet, he studied hard at a Sindhi-medium school in Vile Parle, excelling at Somaiya College. When he applied to Grant Medical College for his MBBS in 1965, the rejection hit hard—not for his grades, but his disability.
“They told me, ‘You can’t be a doctor in a wheelchair,’” he’d recall with a chuckle. “I said, ‘Watch me.’ I wrote letters, knocked on doors, even pestered ministers. Finally, they let me in as a day scholar.”
And shine he did, topping Physiology and Anatomy, earning his MBBS in 1969 and MD in General Medicine by 1973. His mentor, Dr. RD Lele, saw his fire and pushed for his postgraduate training, breaking barriers for others with disabilities.
Pioneering Oncology: A Revolution in India
In 1974, Suresh joined Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), stepping into the uncharted waters of medical oncology. Back then, cancer care in India was a fledgling field, often dismissed as a grim specialty. “People thought oncology was a losing battle,” he’d say, shaking his head. “But I saw it as a chance to give hope.”
At TMH, he became a force of nature, heading the Medical Oncology Department for over two decades. He built it from the ground up—introducing India’s first DM in Medical Oncology, setting up bone marrow transplant units, and establishing cutting-edge labs for hematology, flow cytometry, and molecular diagnostics.
His boldest moment? Performing India’s first successful bone marrow transplant in 1983 on a nine-year-old girl with myeloid leukemia. “I trained in Seattle with Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, a Nobel Prize winner,” he’d share, his voice brimming with pride. “When I returned, people said, ‘It’s too risky here.’ But that girl’s smile after her transplant? That was my answer.”
He led a groundbreaking trial with 1,200 leukemia patients, boosting survival rates from 20% to 70%. “It’s not just about drugs,” he’d explain. “It’s about understanding the patient’s body, their spirit, and tailoring treatment—chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or now, CAR-T cell therapy. Every patient teaches you something new.”
With over 600 publications and mentorship of countless oncologists, Dr. Advani’s work spans leukemias, lymphomas, breast cancer, lung cancer, and pediatric oncology. He’s collaborated with global giants like the National Cancer Institute and India’s Department of Science and Technology, always pushing for precision oncology and affordable care.
The Human Touch: Healing Beyond Medicine
Today, at 78, Dr. Advani consults at top Mumbai hospitals—Sushrut, Hinduja, Jaslok, Apollo, and his own Chemotherapy Centre at Surya Hospitals. His days are packed, yet he makes time for every patient. “I don’t just treat cancer,” he’d say softly. “I treat fear, doubt, and dreams. A patient once told me, ‘Doc, your smile makes me believe I’ll be okay.’ That’s my real medicine.”
Through his NGO, Helping Hands, run with his wife Geeta, he brings holistic care to the underprivileged, offering counseling and awareness campaigns. “Cancer isn’t a death sentence anymore,” he’d insist. “Early detection, positivity, and the right treatment can change everything.”
A Legacy of Honors and Heart
Dr. Advani’s contributions haven’t gone unnoticed. He’s the first Indian oncologist to receive both the Padma Shri (2002) and Padma Bhushan (2012). Awards like the Dhanvantari (2002), Dr. B.C. Roy (2005), and Harvard’s Lifetime Achievement in Oncology (2005) line his shelf, but he’d wave them off. “Awards are nice, but a patient’s recovery? That’s the real trophy.”
In 2023, Forbes Health named him among India’s top 10 oncologists, a nod to his global impact. Yet, he remains grounded, living in Ghatkopar with Geeta, his partner in life and mission.
The Man Behind the White Coat
Imagine sitting with Dr. Advani, his infectious smile lighting up the room. “Polio took my legs, but it gave me wings,” he might say, leaning forward. “Every challenge is a chance to grow. For me, for my patients, for the world.”
His story isn’t just about medicine—it’s about courage, defiance, and an unshakable belief in second chances. From a boy in a wheelchair to a global oncology pioneer, Dr. Suresh Advani reminds us that the heart of healing lies in hope. And as he’d probably say with a grin, “Keep fighting, keep smiling—life’s too short for anything less.”
Early Life and Education
Dr. Suresh Hariram Advani was born on August 1, 1947, in Karachi, British India (now Pakistan), into a Sindhi family. His family, consisting of his parents, three brothers, and three sisters, faced displacement during the partition of India in 1947. They initially settled in Deolali, Nashik, before moving to Mumbai (then Bombay), where his father ran an electrical business. At the age of 8, Advani was struck by poliomyelitis (polio), which left him with paralysis in his lower limbs and confined him to a wheelchair for life. This physical challenge did not deter him; instead, it inspired his medical career. During his hospitalization for polio in the 1950s, when treatments were limited, interactions with doctors motivated him to pursue medicine.
Advani completed his schooling in a Sindhi-medium school in Ghatkopar’s Vile Parle area and graduated from Somaiya College. He applied to Grant Medical College in Mumbai for MBBS but was initially rejected due to his disability. Undeterred, he petitioned authorities, including writing to hospital officials and ministers, and eventually gained admission as a day scholar in 1965. He excelled academically, topping in Physiology and Anatomy, and earned his MBBS in 1969 from Bombay University. He then pursued an MD in General Medicine, completing it in 1973 under the guidance of Dr. RD Lele, who also facilitated his postgraduate training despite initial barriers for physically challenged students.
Professional Career
Dr. Advani’s career in oncology began in 1974 when he joined the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) in Mumbai as a medical oncologist. At the time, oncology was an emerging and undervalued field in India, often seen as less lucrative. He served as the head of the Medical Oncology Department at TMH for over two decades, playing a pivotal role in establishing the DM (Doctorate of Medicine) in Medical Oncology under Mumbai University. He trained numerous oncologists and contributed to building the department’s infrastructure, including bone marrow transplantation facilities, hematology labs, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, and molecular labs.
A landmark achievement was his pioneering work in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (bone marrow transplant) in India. In 1981, he trained at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, USA, under Dr. E. Donnall Thomas (Nobel Prize winner in 1990 for bone marrow transplantation). Back in India, Advani performed the country’s first successful bone marrow transplant in 1983 on a nine-year-old girl with myeloid leukemia, using marrow from her brother. He also led clinical trials, such as one on acute lymphoblastic leukemia involving 1,200 patients, which improved success rates from 20% to 70%. His research focused on biological therapeutics, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and developmental therapeutics, integrating clinical oncology with basic research. He has authored over 600 publications in national and international journals and served as a professor of Medical Oncology at TMH, as well as an MSc and PhD guide in Applied Biology.
Advani has been involved in major projects, including the acute lymphoblastic leukemia initiative supported by the National Cancer Institute (Washington) and chronic lymphatic leukemia research backed by India’s Department of Science and Technology. He specializes in treating hematologic cancers (leukemias, lymphomas, multiple myeloma), breast cancer, lung cancer, pediatric oncology, and solid tumors, using advanced methods like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, CAR-T cell therapy, and precision oncology based on genomics.
Currently, with over 50 years of experience, Dr. Advani consults at multiple prestigious hospitals in Mumbai, including:
- Sushrut Hospital & Research Centre (Chief of Medical Oncology),
- P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre,
- Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre (Director of Cancer Department),
- S.L. Raheja Hospital (Chairman of Cancer Department),
- Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital,
- Apollo Hospitals (Navi Mumbai and Belapur),
- Surya Hospitals (Dr. Advani Chemotherapy Centre),
- Breach Candy Hospital Trust,
- Nanavati Hospital,
- Dr. L.H. Hiranandani Hospital (Powai),
- Max Healthcare,
- TGH Oncolife Cancer Center (Talegaon).
He offers online consultations, customized chemotherapy protocols, home-based treatments, and counseling, emphasizing holistic care, patient positivity, and affordability. He also runs an NGO, “Helping Hands,” with his wife Geeta, providing holistic cancer care to underprivileged patients and spreading cancer awareness.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Advani is the first oncologist in India to receive both the Padma Shri (2002) and Padma Bhushan (2012), among the nation’s highest civilian honors, for his contributions to medicine. Other notable awards include:
- Dr. B.C. Roy National Award (2005) by the Medical Council of India,
- Dhanvantari Award (2002) for outstanding contributions to medicine,
- Lifetime Achievement in Oncology (2005) by Harvard Medical International,
- Rashtriya Krantiveer Award (2014),
- Gifted Teacher Award (2004) by the Association of Physicians of India,
- Nazli Gad-el-Mawla Award (2005) by INCTR,
- Multiple oration awards, such as Dr. J.B. Chatterjee Memorial Oration, Dr. K.M. Bhansali Memorial Oration, and Dr. D.K. Gosavi Oration.
He has presided over professional bodies and serves on editorial boards of scientific journals. In 2023, he was featured in Forbes Health’s “Top 10 Oncologists in India.”
Personal Life and Legacy
Dr. Advani resides in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, with his wife Geeta. Despite his physical challenges, he is known for his humility, infectious smile, and ability to inspire patients, instilling hope and positivity in cancer care. His journey from polio survivor to a global oncology pioneer has made him a role model for aspiring doctors, especially those with disabilities. He continues to advocate for advanced cancer treatments, clinical trials, and public education, emphasizing early detection and personalized care. As of 2025, at age 78, he remains active, treating patients worldwide and contributing to oncology’s evolution in India.
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