Harvard-IIM Alumnus & Angel Investor Explains Why Students Will Shape the Future of India’s Healthcare With AI

As narrated by expert SenthilKumar Rajendran. He is a Harvard and IIM alumnus, angel investor, and mentor to early-stage entrepreneurs in India’s healthcare and technology sectors. After a successful corporate career spanning leadership roles in global companies, he works closely with student founders, helping them harness AI and data-driven insights to solve India’s healthcare challenges.

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A few months ago, at a student pitch session in Chennai, angel investor SenthilKumar Rajendran met a young woman whose idea stopped him in his tracks. She came from a family of doctors, yet had lost a loved one because blood wasn’t available when it was needed most. Instead of moving on, she decided to build a solution — a tech-driven way to make sure no one else would face the same fate.

It’s stories like hers that keep Senthil hopeful. A Harvard and IIM alumnus who left the corporate world to back young changemakers, he believes India’s next big leap in healthcare won’t come from boardrooms or big hospitals, but from classrooms — from 20-somethings who look at old problems with new eyes.

AI, he says, is already reshaping the way we understand health — from diagnosing diseases faster to connecting patients with doctors across distances. But in a country where one doctor serves hundreds and chronic illnesses are climbing, it’s the creativity and courage of student innovators that could make the real difference.

In this candid conversation with The Better India, Senthil opens up about why he chooses to mentor young founders, what he looks for in their ideas, and how AI — if used wisely — could help India build a healthcare system that truly includes everyone.

Q: Is AI changing the entrepreneurial playing field? What motivated you personally to start funding young entrepreneurs in the healthcare sector?

Absolutely. The speed at which technology and academia are evolving today is staggering. What you learn in college could become outdated in just a few years. That’s why I find it so valuable to back students — they see problems differently and approach solutions with fresh eyes.

Every batch has a few who shake up the system. I remember meeting one engineering student whose family was full of doctors. Despite that, she lost a loved one because blood wasn’t available in time. Instead of accepting it, she decided to build a technology-based solution to prevent it from happening to others.

Healthcare and education are fields that never stop evolving. And when young people experience these challenges first-hand, their ideas tend to be sharper, more empathetic and more innovative. That mix of passion and purpose gives them incredible potential.

Q: How has your personal journey influenced the way you identify and support early-stage innovators?

When I began my entrepreneurial journey in the late ‘90s, the word “startup” was barely part of our vocabulary. Later, when I moved into the corporate world, I learnt how to identify patterns, spot talent, and recognise gaps in systems. Along the way, investing in secondary markets sharpened my intuition even further.

Today, those experiences — combined with continuous learning and a willingness to experiment — help me see not just good ideas, but the people behind them. And more importantly, how to guide those people into becoming strong, thoughtful leaders.

Q: Let’s talk about situational awareness. How did that shape your decision to back AI-driven healthcare ventures?

Look around at any social gathering today, and you’ll see how deeply technology shapes our lives. Children are glued to their phones rather than playing outside. We are living in a generation that might not prioritise building families in the traditional sense, but is deeply focused on building technologies.

Technology will inevitably make many jobs irrelevant. The key is not to fear this change but to embrace it. Take the doctor–patient ratio in India, for example — officially about one doctor for every 811 people.

And it’s impossible to scale the number of doctors overnight. But AI can help make doctors far more efficient — automating diagnostics, streamlining triage, and supporting their decision-making.

If we look at the United States, healthcare is a major contributor to GDP growth. India is also seeing this sector expand rapidly, and AI can play a truly transformative role in that journey.

Q: Why do you believe healthcare is one of the most important frontiers for AI innovation in India?

India has three unmatched strengths — abundant data, exceptional talent, and the ability to build world-class algorithms. These form the very foundation of AI.

The next step lies in creating strong frameworks and infrastructure, where government support plays a key role. Unlike many countries, India mandates that medical data must remain protected and stored within its borders. This data sovereignty is a huge advantage — it gives us the power to develop large-scale, secure AI-driven healthcare solutions for our own population.

With the right support, India can become not just a consumer of global health technology, but a creator of it.

Q: What are the most pressing problems in India’s healthcare system that student entrepreneurs can solve with AI?

India is already the largest diabetic market in the world, and cancer cases are increasing every year. Since COVID-19, teleconsultations have become far more common — something something almost unheard of a few years ago. That shift alone shows how healthcare and technology are converging.

The biggest opportunities for student innovators lie in helping doctors become more efficient. Chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer are clear problem areas where AI-driven solutions can genuinely save lives.

My advice to students is simple: look for the regions or states where healthcare systems are still struggling to integrate technology. That’s where the scope — and the opportunity — truly lie.

Q: Healthcare is highly regulated and sensitive. How do you evaluate whether a student-led startup has the maturity to navigate ethical and clinical challenges?

That’s a very valid concern. The first step for any student innovator is to collaborate closely with doctors. They need to understand real-world challenges before designing any tech solution around them.

A lot also depends on the kind of mentorship they receive — from investors, stakeholders, and incubators. The right guidance can help young founders navigate complex areas like clinical testing, data privacy, and patient safety.

Rigidity can be dangerous in this space. Flexibility, openness, and the willingness to be coached are what ensure a student’s idea grows into a responsible, scalable business.

Q: What unique strengths do student innovators bring compared to experienced professionals in healthcare?

The biggest difference lies in how they think. Students constantly ask, “Why should I do this?” That questioning mindset is a huge strength. It pushes them to challenge assumptions rather than accept them. 

They are also incredibly tech savvy and understand how to solve problems at scale — something that brings immense contextual value in India. Most importantly, they’re flexible. They aren’t bound by traditional ways of thinking, which often focus on tasks rather than systems. That flexibility helps them approach healthcare innovation with a sense of possibility that experienced professionals sometimes lose.

Q: When you meet a student entrepreneur, what qualities convince you they can turn an idea into a scalable business?

I usually begin by identifying the pain point. If a student has lived through a problem and then designed a solution that benefits others, I know the are onto something real.

But when the process is reversed — when someone decides what to build first and then goes looking for a problem to solve — it doesn’t convince me as much. Lived problems inspire far stronger, scalable solutions.

Q: You’ve said intelligence alone is no longer a differentiator. How do you gauge traits like Emotional Quotient (EQ) or Adversity Quotient (AQ) in young founders?

These qualities don’t reveal themselves in a single meeting — they unfold over time.

In our education system, we rarely test for AQ — the ability to take risks and thrive in unpredictable situations. We’re taught to avoid risks, while entrepreneurship demands the opposite. It’s about living with uncertainty and still moving forward.

I also look for intent: are they building only for themselves, or for society as a whole? That’s where true leadership lies — in the balance between ambition and empathy.

Q: Many worry that AI will displace jobs. You see it differently — as an enabler. How do you advise young entrepreneurs to use AI wisely in health-tech solutions?

I often draw an example from history. When steel shipping containers were introduced in the 1960s, they completely transformed global trade. Before that, loading and unloading goods was tedious and labour-intensive. Containers standardised the process, made it faster, and changed how ports, roads, and railways operated. Cities like Singapore embraced it early — and flourished because of it.

AI is a tool just like that, only with a far wider scope. It simplifies complex processes, improves coordination, and brings efficiency across entire systems. But it’s not magic. Its outputs still need human judgment, responsibility, and oversight.

My advice to young entrepreneurs is to use AI to remove friction, improve efficiency, and create a real competitive edge — not just to follow a trend. The goal should always be to make healthcare more effective, not simply more automated.

Q: What misconceptions do student founders usually have about AI?

Many assume AI is required in every business. But AI is not a silver bullet. It needs vast amounts of data, trained for a specific purpose. Without that, it’s not AI — it’s just hype.

Q: How do you personally balance the hype versus real applications when evaluating a startup idea?

For me, it’s quite simple. I look at whether AI is being used to create real value — to build efficiency, strengthen a competitive moat, or add meaning to an existing process. If it increases the speed of the flywheel and creates value for every stakeholder involved, it’s real. But if it’s just being added to chase valuations or appear trendy, that’s pure hype

Q: What’s your investment philosophy in early-stage health-tech ventures?

I always start by asking whether the idea truly creates value — for people and for the business. Profitability is important, of course, but that comes later. After that, I look at the strategy, structure, people, and execution.

When evaluating, I focus on the founder, their co-founding team, the problem they’re solving, and the sector they operate in. My role then is to guide and coach them through that journey.

Q: Can you share an example of a student-led AI health project that gave you hope?

One that stands out is the student I mentioned earlier. I met her and her team during a pitch session organised by a well-known incubation centre. She comes from central India, where healthcare isn’t as developed as in the south. 

Despite being from a well-educated family of doctors, she lost a relative because blood wasn’t available at the critical moment. That loss became her motivation to build a technology-driven solution to prevent such tragedies.

These are the kinds of innovators who give me hope. They’re not just building businesses — they’re solving human problems that truly matter.

Q: Where do you see the biggest opportunities in AI-led healthcare in India over the next five years?

Apart from diabetes and cancer, I see mental health emerging as a massive space for innovation. Human interaction often lacks empathy, care, or patience — and AI is increasingly stepping in to fill that gap. That’s where I see some of the most exciting work will happen in the coming years.

Q: If you had one piece of advice for a student entrepreneur reimagining healthcare with AI, what would it be?

Accept uncertainty and build flexibility with resilience — it’s not just part of the journey; it is the journey. At the same time, seek clarity. 

The playing field in India has changed. AI can’t just help you win the game — it can help you design the game itself, where you set the rules and lead the way.

Embrace AI wisely. Focus on system-based thinking rather than task-based approaches. If we do that, we can create healthcare solutions that not only compete globally but also serve millions of people here at home.

India’s healthcare gaps and AI opportunities

Sources: 

'Doctor-population ratio in country is better than WHO standard: Nadda': by The Hindu, Published on 29 November 2024.