Dr. Jothi Neeraja Initiates Exit Process for BlackRock’s ₹210 Crore Investment in People Tree Hospitals
Bengaluru: Dr. Jothi Neeraja, Founder, Managing Director and CEO of People Tree Hospitals, has begun facilitating an exit for global investment giant BlackRock, which invested ₹210 crore ($24 million) in the hospital network earlier this year. The funding, made in March 2025, supported People Tree’s expansion and strengthened its super-specialty services, marking BlackRock’s first major healthcare investment in India.
A first-generation entrepreneur and Obstetrician-Gynecologist from Kadapa, Dr. Neeraja built People Tree Hospitals from the ground up through relentless effort, personal sacrifice, and a commitment to ethical, affordable care. Today, the institution has grown into a 300+ bed multi-specialty hospital known for transparency, patient trust, and disciplined financial governance.
Her entrepreneurial journey has been marked by consistent delivery of investor confidence:
- Early exits to 78 investors
- Timely exit for Infosys Co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan’s family office
- BlackRock’s first hospital investment in India entrusted to her leadership
“I started with no legacy, no network—just intent and integrity,” Dr. Neeraja said. “When investors place trust in you, you honor it. Completing BlackRock’s exit is part of that commitment.”
With People Tree’s transition underway, Dr. Neeraja is now turning her focus to Maarga Mind Care, an ambitious initiative to build a 1,000-bed, 25-hospital mental health network across India. The project aims to address the country’s vast 70–90% mental health treatment gap.
“India has built world-class super-specialty care in cardiology, urology, gastroenterology, oncology and neurosciences,” she noted. “Our next decade must belong to mental health—with the same quality, urgency, and seriousness.”
From navigating complex investor structures to building ethical healthcare institutions and now scaling a nationwide mental health network, Dr. Jothi Neeraja exemplifies a pragmatic, purpose-driven model of healthcare leadership—grounded in trust, impact, and long-term vision.
