From carefree Andhra boy to a top oncologist with 27,000+ surgeries: Dr. Nagendra Parvataneni’s global medical journey

(November 20, 2025) Friends, sports, missing homework and getting canned by his teachers, Dr Nagendra Parvataneni was never the studious kind in his growing-up days. He loved the one-hour bus journey from his home to school in Andhra, playing hockey on the streets of Bangalore, partying on Holi with friends and listening to music by renting audio cassettes. He never missed a single Grammy Awards function from 1984 till the 2000s on his black-and-white television.

From being a carefree, fun-loving youngster, he went on to become one of the top oncologists in South India, performing over 27,000 surgeries and saving countless lives. His medical journey took him to the UK, Taiwan and the US, shaping him into the surgeon he is today. “I still follow global sporting events and music awards with the same enthusiasm I used to as a student,” smiles Dr Nagendra Parvataneni, in a chat with Global Indian.

Dr Nagendra Parvataneni

The unseen power

Currently the Head of the Department of Surgical Oncology at KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad, Dr Nagendra firmly believes that there is some unseen power — it could be faith, hope, will, belief or stress that truly makes or breaks a cancer patient’s recovery. “No medicine, skill or precision can match that unseen power,” says Dr Nagendra, whose areas of expertise include advanced open, robotic and laparoscopic onco-surgeries involving upper gastrointestinal onco-surgery, pancreatic-biliary surgery, thoracic surgery among others.

Cancer in India

India is currently the third leading country worldwide in cancer case numbers, after China and the US. The country reports nearly 15 lakh new cancer cases and over 9 lakh cancer deaths annually. “The most difficult part of my practice is breaking the news of cancer to the patient and family,” says Dr Nagendra, who has mentored several young surgeons who now carry forward the spirit of excellence and compassion.

With over 24 years of rich experience, he feels most patients are ignorant in choosing their surgeon. “Most people go by what their family doctors recommend. But not all surgeons are good at all surgeries. One should be wise and well aware of their surgeon and their experience,” says Dr Nagendra, who performs about 120 major and minor cancer surgeries every month.

Advanced stages

He says lifestyle factors such as tobacco usage, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, infections (HPV-related), environmental pollution, stress and sedentary lifestyle are major contributors. “Around 70 percent of cancer cases in India may be linked to such modifiable risk factors. Most cases in India are diagnosed at advanced stages, which reduces the chances of cure,” says Dr Nagendra, highlighting that lack of awareness is a major contributing factor.

Awareness gaps

Limited public health education resources, cultural beliefs, social stigma and financial constraints are the main issues. “While several cancer centres are coming up rapidly, every medical college hospital in the country should have a cancer centre which can provide easy access to people,” feels Dr Nagendra, who has delivered lectures at the National Cancer Institute in Cairo University, Egypt, and in the World Health Organisation hall in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia, among other countries.

Rise of robotics

When it comes to cancer care, India has made rapid strides. “Many institutes have adopted robotic surgery, advanced radiation equipment, molecular testing and targeted therapies,” he says, while pointing out that a lot still needs to be done to increase awareness and screening.

Treating children

For Dr Nagendra, treating children with cancer is the most challenging part of his career. “It takes a lot of emotional strength in dealing with the child and family, especially while dealing with complicated surgery or when the surgery involves removal of a leg or an arm.” Cancer care is complicated. “Every case is different, every surgery is different. That’s because cancer is a very unpredictable disease and is dictated by the biology of the disease rather than the treatment or the person treating it or the stage at presentation.” He feels survival of a patient is not as predictable as one reads in literature.

A challenging case

The most difficult situation for Dr Nagendra was operating upon his sister-in-law, whose tumour was difficult to detect even at diagnosis. “She fought like a true warrior and succumbed,” he says, pointing out that cancer has layers of mystery and behaves differently in every patient. “The known facts of cancer continue to surprise even the most experienced doctors,” he adds.

Dr Nagendra works with the simple belief that every patient who reaches him has come because of destiny. “There is a reason our paths cross — sometimes to give hope or just to guide them in their fight,” says the oncologist, who has been recognised as a legend in Surgical Oncology by the Hybiz TV Healthcare Awards.

Roots: The Andhra boy

Dr Nagendra studied at St. John’s Higher Secondary School in Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh. “We are three brothers with an age difference of less than two years between us. We used to study, play and fight like friends,” he recalls.

His father was a government employee who served as an Assistant Engineer in the electrical department. “He completed his engineering in Electrical Sciences and joined the service at the age of 23,” says Dr Nagendra of his father, who later quit the job and became a civil contractor.

Moving to Bangalore

The family then moved to Bangalore, where Dr Nagendra completed his schooling and college. “Although I was considered short in height, I was very swift and made it to the basketball and football teams in college for university games.” He loves travelling right from his younger days and would often visit various places and temples during his medical school years. He was also very fond of music.

The first TV

He fondly recalls the day in 1982 when the family got their first black-and-white television. “I had watched the Asiad Games on that TV, a memory which I cherish forever,” says the senior oncologist, who successfully cleared his KCET exam in 1988 and joined Dr B. R. Ambedkar Medical College in Bangalore.

Inclined toward surgical fields, he went on to do his master’s in surgery from JJMMC, Davangere. He got married while doing his first-year post-graduation. “It was a love marriage. Neelima, my relative from Hyderabad, was doing her engineering those days in Bangalore,” he says of his wife. Dr Nagendra was 28 and in the third year of his master’s programme when his first son was born.

Off to the UK

During his master’s, Dr Nagendra was focused on becoming a urologist. With a few recommendation letters, he landed in Norfolk, UK, as a registrar in colorectal surgery in 1998. However, fate led him to oncology, and it became his true calling. Four months later, he returned to join Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO), Bangalore, as a Senior Resident and later as a postgraduate in Surgical Oncology (2000–2003).

“Those were the most challenging years of my career, filled with professional rivalries and personal trials. But difficult times bring out the best in a person. That phase transformed me from a sport-loving youngster into a focused cancer surgeon.”

Training in Taiwan

Dr Nagendra soon realised that he needed exposure to certain surgical areas. With brief intervals in Taiwan, where he learnt reconstruction in oncology involving breast and head–neck (laryngeal surgeries), he spent three years in government service at MNJ Cancer Institute in Hyderabad. He later joined the Basavatarakam Cancer Hospital as a unit head. During his four-year tenure there, he performed more than 4,000 surgeries.

To the US

The turning point came with his robotic surgery training at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, in January 2013. “I vividly remember the freezing weather — minus temperatures, daily commutes through snow, and long working hours. Over four weeks, I completed 54 hours of console training and lab work, earning my Robotic Surgery Certification.”

Dr Nagendra has authored 11 publications in indexed peer-reviewed national and international journals with 13 citations to date, and has broadcast more than 30 different onco-surgical procedures on YouTube dedicated to teaching upcoming surgeons.

Seven Hills and return to Hyderabad

Since there was no robotic surgery at Basavatarakam Cancer Hospital, Dr Nagendra left for Mumbai for a head start in robotic surgery. For the next three years, he worked at Seven Hills Hospital as Head of the Department. “While working in Mumbai, I began to give academics a priority and was involved in various conferences and guest lectures.”

In 2016, he returned to Hyderabad and joined KIMS, Secunderabad, as Senior Consultant, HoD and Chief Robotic Surgeon. At KIMS, he started an academic DNB programme in surgical oncology. “This is where I truly transformed as a senior surgeon and academician,” he remarks.

Badminton and balance

Dr Nagendra’s daily routine starts with reaching the hospital by 8:00 am to complete his rounds. “The surgical routine depends and is variable according to the kind and organ that I would be operating that day,” he says.

He makes it a point to wind up by 5:30 pm and then heads to his club for a game of badminton, a routine he has maintained for the last 10 years. “It’s my stress buster,” says the senior oncologist, who follows no specific diet restrictions. “But I’m fond of sweets,” he smiles, adding that he always reserves evenings for family and friends.

Giving Back: The Hospice Foundation

In 2004, Dr Nagendra established The Hospice Foundation of Hyderabad, a first-of-its-kind 20-bedded facility with a home-care unit. It provides palliative care to terminally ill cancer patients free of cost.

• Follow Dr Nagendra Parvataneni on LinkedIn

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