Dr KR Balakrishnan is an Indian Cardiac Surgeon credited for record number of heart transplants performed in India along with many other firsts in his field. An expert in the management of end stage heart failure, he did India’s first LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) implant in 2012 as well as first HVAD pump implant destination therapy in 2013. He performed India’s first Paediatric heart transplant surgery on a two year old infant. He has revived a person 45 minutes after his heart stopped beating with a heart transplant. Dr. Balakrishnan was instrumental in establishing India’s First Comprehensive Centre for Heart Failure Management at Fortis Malar Hospital, Chennai. In addition, he actively engages with varied institutions to develop Pulsatile and continuous flow LVADs and molecular biology of ventricular hypertrophy. He is currently working as Director of Cardiac Sciences and Chief Cardiothoracic & Transplant Surgeon at Fortis Malar Hospital in Chennai.