Dr Thomas Chandy was the founder of HOSMAT and a pioneer in sports medicine in India. His colleagues and associates remember the visionary orthopaedic surgeon, who treated top sportsmen and made world-class orthopaedic care available in Bengaluru.
Published Apr 08, 2025 | 3:11 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 08, 2025 | 4:07 PM
Dr Thomas A Chandy.
Synopsis: Dr Thomas A Chandy, who passed away at the age of 80, put Bengaluru on the world’s orthopaedic map by setting up HOSMAT. A visionary in the field of medical science and management, he was also behind ‘The Jazz and Rock Revival’.
Dr Thomas A Chandy, the Founder and Chairman of HOSMAT in Bengaluru, passed away at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy that straddled two worlds: the precision of surgery and the passion for music.
He was not just one of India’s most accomplished joint replacement surgeons—he was also a rock-and-roll saxophonist who never missed a beat.
Dr Chandy, breathed his last around 11 pm on 7 April. He was reportedly being treated at Manipal Hospitals for lung issues for the past few months.
Born and raised in Bengaluru, Dr Chandy completed his MBBS from St. John’s Medical College in 1976. In the late 70s, he packed his bags and moved to New York, not just to master orthopaedics, but also to nurture his love for music.
While training at the Jewish Hospital and Medical Centre in Brooklyn, he wasn’t just learning the fine art of joint replacement—he was also studying music at the Brooklyn Conservatory.
“He could replace a hip by day and play the sax like John Coltrane by night,” one of his colleagues once said.
Dr Chandy spent 18 years in clinical practice and teaching in the United States. By the early 1980s, he had already performed over 2,000 joint replacement surgeries—back when the field was still nascent.
He trained in arthroscopy and sports medicine at the University of Oklahoma, and from 1983 to 1993, led the orthopaedic department at the Claremore Regional Medical Centre. But it was in 1993 that he took his boldest step: returning home to Bengaluru with a vision.
He wanted to bring cutting-edge orthopaedic care to India. He envisioned a hospital that would match the standards of the West—and then went on to build one.
Enter HOSMAT—short for Hospital for Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine, Arthritis and Trauma. Under his leadership, the hospital grew into one of India’s largest specialty centres for bone and joint care. With over 8,000 joint replacement surgeries to his name, Dr Chandy was a pioneer in Indian orthopaedics, introducing protocols and procedures that were ahead of their time.
The hospital is not just for everyday patients but for India’s sporting elite. Athletes from disciplines like cricket, football, tennis, badminton, gymnastics, and more, trusted Dr Chandy and his team to get them back on their feet — and often, back on the podium.
Over the years, the hospital became a second home to some of India’s biggest cricketing names — Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman, Gautam Gambhir, Javagal Srinath, and even international legends like Lance Klusener, Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood.
The National Cricket Academy, BCCI, and multiple sports associations across Karnataka roped in HOSMAT as their trusted medical partner. Behind it all was Dr Chandy — a man of precision, energy, and empathy, whose passion for healing helped hundreds of sports stars chase glory again.
His friends and colleagues recollect Dr Chandy’s visionary thinking
Dr Chandy played a major role in elevating Bengaluru as a destination for sports medicine, he leaves behind a legacy stitched into every healed ligament and every triumphant comeback story.
Speaking to South First, calling him a visionary Dr Sharan Shivaraj Patil, chairman and chief orthopaedic surgeon of Sparsh Hospitals, said he owes a lot to him. “I have been associated with HOSMAT for almost 30 years now. We have lost a legend in the field of orthopaedics and it’s irreplaceable,”
Calling Dr Chandy a legend in the field of orthopaedics, Dr Patil said, “Dr Chandy gave tremendous opportunities to young ortho surgeons and was extremely supportive and at the same receptive to suggestions.”
Dr Chandy was “ever willing for improvement in treatment for patients and we are all indebted eternally for being under his shadow. May his soul rest in peace. Om Shanti,” he said.
Not just his colleagues, but even those at management levels who worked with him, remembered Dr Chandy as a visionary.
Remembering him, Ravindra KS, who served as the hospital’s Chief Marketing Officer, said, “He used to tell and be proud of the fact that most of HOSMAT’s physiotherapy equipment was from the US.”
“Dr Chandy always put the patient’s wellness first. HOSMAT could cater to the middle-class and lower middle-class sections of society because he was always against increasing the prices,” he said.
Dr Chandy would often say, “Ortho injuries take time to heal and patients come more often, so we should not look at only profit.” Ravindra added, “He placed a lot of importance on punctuality — and if someone missed the time, he would express displeasure, regardless of whether the person was a VIP or anyone else.”
Raghavendra Rao, a brand and PR consultant who worked with HOSMAT for three years, said, “It was a pleasure to watch Dr Chandy work with such enthusiasm even at his advanced age. He was always raring to go with expansion plans. Three times a week, he would be in the operation theatre performing surgeries. I remember sharing images from his phone of popular cricket stars who would come to him for advice — and he was generous in tending to them.”
“Seldom do we get such souls with the highest level of commitment and dedication,” Rao added. “I can only bow to him. Bengaluru will miss a renowned orthopaedist in the years to come.”
Yet, despite his towering achievements in medicine, it was his dual identity that charmed everyone who met him.
In the evenings, Dr Chandy would pick up his guitar or saxophone and transform into the frontman of the band, “The Jazz and Rock Revival.” Known for their electrifying covers of Elvis, Pink Floyd, and the Beatles, the band played at pubs, fundraisers, and even hospital events.
He wasn’t just a collector of scalpel techniques—he was also a collector of musical instruments, with over 300 guitars and saxophones in his collection. “He knew as much about vintage Fender Stratocasters as he did about knee ligaments,” joked a fellow doctor.
Dr Chandy also believed in giving back. He trained young orthopaedic surgeons, mentored many into leadership roles, and ensured that HOSMAT always maintained a philanthropic wing, offering care to those who couldn’t afford it.
His passing marks the end of an era for Bengaluru’s medical fraternity. But his music, his surgeries, his students, and his hospital will continue to tell his story.
In a city that loves its jazz as much as its cricket, Dr Chandy will be remembered as the man who healed bones by day and healed souls by night.
Dr Chandy in an earlier interview with South First said, “Music is my soul, orthopaedics is my spine — together, they keep me upright!”
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
