Latest news with #Sasidhar
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's Apollo Hospitals to double AI investments, beats profit estimate
Hyderabad: India's Apollo Hospitals Enterprise plans to double its investment in artificial intelligence capabilities over the next two to three years, its CEO said, after the company beat first-quarter profit estimates on higher patient volume. The hospital chain already uses AI tools in diagnosis to read X-rays, scan reports and also in endoscopy - a medical procedure to examine the inside of the body using a camera, CEO Madhu Sasidhar told Reuters on Tuesday. Many large private hospital chains in India, like their western counterparts, are investing in AI capabilities to improve patient diagnosis and decisions related to medical procedures, among others uses. Apollo recently developed technology to read existing scan reports and predict the risk of liver fibrosis in the future, Sasidhar said. "We are also bringing some other new generation agentic AI-type tools," he said. He did not quantify the size of Apollo's existing investment in AI. Apollo, headquartered in the south Indian city of Chennai, partnered with Microsoft earlier this year to develop AI-based tools to be used in healthcare. Some of them are in early stages of testing, Sasidhar said. Indian hospital chains such as Apollo and Manipal have also been increasing their bed count for a larger share of the market, including through acquisitions of smaller hospital operators. Apollo said it is on track to add 4,370 beds over the next 3-4 years through acquisition, new hospitals and expansion of existing facilities. Its overall bed capacity is currently more than 10,000. The company's consolidated net profit rose 41.8% to 4.33 billion rupees ($49.40 million) for April-June, beating estimates of 3.86 billion rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG. While its overall occupancy rate dipped from last year, in-patient volume grew 3% and average revenue per in-patient increased by 9%, according to Apollo. Quarterly total revenue rose 15% to 58.42 billion rupees, beating estimates of 57.44 billion rupees. The company said it expects double-digit revenue growth for the current financial year.
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Apollo Hospitals eyes medical tourism boost, capacity growth in FY26
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd (Ahel) is stepping up its medical tourism strategy, aiming to diversify its overseas patient base beyond Bangladesh, where inflows have slowed due to an ongoing economic crisis. The company's Q1FY26 results, announced on Tuesday, showed a 42% year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit to ₹ 433 crore, up from ₹ 305 crore a year earlier. Revenue from operations climbed 15% to ₹ 5,842 crore, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) rose 26% to ₹ 852 crore. The main healthcare services division delivered an 11% revenue increase to ₹ 2,935 crore, supported by high-end surgeries and growth in speciality areas such as cardiac, oncology, neurology, gastroenterology and orthopaedics. However, a 1.5% revenue hit came from reduced medical tourism from Bangladesh, which has been declining since Q3FY25. The healthcare player is looking at attracting more patients from other markets now. 'We are doing a lot to see how we can more actively engage in some of these markets,' Madhu Sasidhar, president and chief executive officer of the hospitals division, told Mint. Apollo is eyeing a larger chunk in the African-Middle East cluster, where they have already substantially increased revenues, Sasidhar said. The hospital chain is also looking at markets in the eastern corridor like Myanmar and Cambodia, Southeast Asia, and the CIS countries as well. 'Over the next few months, you will start to see some of that come to fruition,' Sasidhar added. The hospital chain is also looking at operationalizing six new hospitals, with a total of over 1,500 new beds this year. 'There is a significant capacity that will get augmented in the next one year,' chief financial officer Krishnan Akhileswaran said. The group reiterated plans to add more than 4,300 beds over the next five years and reported network occupancy at 65% versus 68% a year earlier. The company's digital pharmacy business Apollo 24/7 is on track to break even by Q4FY26, Akhileswaran said. During the first quarter of FY26, Ahel announced the demerger of its omnichannel pharmacy and digital health business into a new entity, Apollo Healthtech, which will be listed in the next 12-18 months. 'This is the appropriate time because if you look at it, by the time we demerge, it will be Q4FY27…by that time, we should be doing reasonably good margins. And with this growth, we hope that by Q4FY27, this would be a ₹ 25,000 crore run rate company, which is a sizable number for someone like us to be able to list that company,' he said. The overall digital health and omnichannel pharmacy distribution business reported a 19% YoY growth in revenues to ₹ 2,472 crore. Ebitda stood at ₹ 94 crore against ₹ 23 crore in Q1FY25, with margins at 3.8%. Net profit stood at ₹ 57 crore during the fiscal. Apollo Hospitals' shares ended 0.1% lower at ₹ 7,253 on the National Stock Exchange ahead of the results.
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Indias Apollo Hospitals to double AI investments, beats profit estimate
HYDERABAD (Reuters) -India's Apollo Hospitals Enterprise plans to double its investment in artificial intelligence capabilities over the next two to three years, its CEO said, after the company beat first-quarter profit estimates on higher patient volume. The hospital chain already uses AI tools in diagnosis to read X-rays, scan reports and also in endoscopy - a medical procedure to examine the inside of the body using a camera, CEO Madhu Sasidhar told Reuters on Tuesday. Many large private hospital chains in India, like their western counterparts, are investing in AI capabilities to improve patient diagnosis and decisions related to medical procedures, among others uses. Apollo recently developed technology to read existing scan reports and predict the risk of liver fibrosis in the future, Sasidhar said. "We are also bringing some other new generation agentic AI-type tools," he said. He did not quantify the size of Apollo's existing investment in AI. Apollo, headquartered in the south Indian city of Chennai, partnered with Microsoft earlier this year to develop AI-based tools to be used in healthcare. Some of them are in early stages of testing, Sasidhar said. Indian hospital chains such as Apollo and Manipal have also been increasing their bed count for a larger share of the market, including through acquisitions of smaller hospital operators. Apollo said it is on track to add 4,370 beds over the next 3-4 years through acquisition, new hospitals and expansion of existing facilities. Its overall bed capacity is currently more than 10,000. The company's consolidated net profit rose 41.8% to 4.33 billion rupees ($49.40 million) for April-June, beating estimates of 3.86 billion rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG. While its overall occupancy rate dipped from last year, in-patient volume grew 3% and average revenue per in-patient increased by 9%, according to Apollo. Quarterly total revenue rose 15% to 58.42 billion rupees, beating estimates of 57.44 billion rupees. The company said it expects double-digit revenue growth for the current financial year. ($1 = 87.6520 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Rishika Sadam; Editing by Leroy Leo)
The Hindu
29-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Teachers freed from P4 linked pressure
There is a growing resentment among teacher unions in the state against what they call 'pressure being mounted on them to register as 'mentors' or 'guides' under the 'P4' (Public-Private-People-Participation) initiative.' In view of this, Secretary, School Education, Kona Sashidhar has issued a circular strictly instructing district Collectors not to involve principals, headmasters or teachers of government schools and colleges in any activity not related to the School Education Department. Mr. Sasidhar pointed out that it was brought to the notice of the government that Collectors and certain departments in a few districts were asking principals, headmasters and teachers of government schools and colleges to upload data related to their departments without the notice of the School Education Department. He said this was causing a hindrance to the regular academic activities in the respective institutions and asked the district officials to desist from involving teachers. Leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation (APTF), meanwhile, have welcomed the move stating that this would end the prevailing confusion among teachers. It may be noted that in the wake of the launch of P4 initiative and the government urging all departments to become part of the poverty-eradication drive, a few District Education Officers (DEOs), after receiving instructions by the Collectors, sent links to headmasters and teachers asking them to register as 'mentors' and adopt families under the initiative within a stipulated deadline. The move drew flak from teacher unions which insisted that pressure to adopt families was unacceptable and that the 'p4' programme should be implemented on voluntary basis.
Hans India
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
‘The 100' director Raghav Omkar Sasidhar feels grateful for warm reception
Director Raghav Omkar Sasidhar, who made his debut with the Telugu action thriller The 100, is riding high on appreciation from both audiences and the media. Reflecting on the film's growing popularity, Sasidhar expressed heartfelt gratitude for the positive reception. 'This film was never just about action—it's about emotion, urgency, and responsibility,' he shared. The 100 stars RK Sagar, Misha Narang, and Dhanya Balakrishna, and delves into the emotional journey of a sincere cop navigating duty, trauma, and justice. Sasidhar highlighted the strong emotional response from female audiences, noting that many found the film relatable and moving. 'When women tell me the film made them feel seen, it means everything. That's why sincere storytelling matters.' He also thanked dignitaries such as former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, AP Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, and IPS officer VC Sajjanar for their encouraging words. Expressing deep appreciation for his producers Ramesh Karutoori, Venki Pushadapu, and J Tharak Ram, Sasidhar praised RK Sagar for supporting his vision. 'This is just the beginning,' the director smiled, adding that he's excited to continue telling stories that leave an impact.
