When we joined Dad, we wanted to change ‘Poor Dr Reddy’ perception: Sangita, Apollo Hospitals

Sangita Reddy, daughter of Apollo Hospitals founder Dr Prathap Reddy, and her sisters have specific roles to run the business

In a world where it is commonplace to pass on the reins of a business to the sons or grandsons, Apollo Hospitals founder Dr Prathap Reddy’s succession plan diverges from the beaten path.

He has four daughters, Preetha, Suneeta, Shobana and Sangita, as the next level of leadership. And each one of them helms clearly demarcated roles within the business. Preetha manages the hospitals, Suneeta takes care of finance, Shobana runs the pharmacies and insurance business and Sangita is in-charge of IT initiatives.


The daughters have worked hard at changing the perception that many have had about “four daughters”.

“I think when we [my sisters and I] joined the business, we were all very determined to do the job of helping him [their father],” Sangita said at a recent event in Mumbai. “We grew up hearing ‘Poor Dr Reddy. He has four daughters’. We were determined to do the job well and make people say, ‘Lucky Dr Reddy. He has four daughters’.”


She had some advice for the audience as well, on the subject of a young person getting into business as well as an older person inducting a younger member into the business. She asked them to take into account the inductee’s aspirations and skill sets. But above all his or her aptitude. “People have aptitudes for things,” Sangita said. She shared the example of role division within her sisters to make her point.

“If you look at my sisters and me, each one of us has different skill sets, which are fairly complementary. Suneeta is the financial brain. She’s the numbers person. Ten years into her job, she went to Harvard, and studied finance and business. Preetha and I hate numbers. We love people. We can work with doctors and patients. Shobana is a born leader. She will innovate. She will lead.” So, the way forward for a new joinee is: “Identify skill sets, give challenges, structure the environment so that you have little successes. Successes build confidence, [which] builds capabilities,” Sangita said.