The seed for Rajgopal Foundation was planted by Mr P.Ramanathan Rajgopal, a compassionate man of high integrity and a strong proponent of personal responsibility towards social issues such as poverty alleviation. He believed that assisting the poor by whatever means available was a moral obligation and one that defined and developed character. Mr PR Rajgopal demonstrated a keen commitment to helping the poor with particular regard to health issues and this had a profound impact on his son, Ashok Rajgopal.
Inspired by his father's ideology and investment in health, Ashok Rajgopal went on to study medicine at Pune University and specialised in orthopaedic surgery with postgraduate degrees from AIIMS and the University of Liverpool, UK. Soon after entering practice in the mid 80's he became involved in treating sports injuries and was admitted to the Sports Authority of India. The injuries he came across sometimes-required surgery but the costs associated with surgery made it an impossible option for many. In an effort to address the inequality, whereby surgery was only affordable by the wealthy, Dr Rajgopal waived his fees and operated on those who couldn't bear the costs. In doing this, he enabled a number of talented athletes to return to their vocation. Over the last thirty years, Dr Rajgopal has earned a solid reputation, as an expert and pioneer in knee surgery. He is credited with designing the instruments used in minimally invasive knee surgeries and was the first surgeon to perform a robotic joint replacement in 2017.
Across India, affordability of and access to medical treatment is in large part a result of socio economic disparity. The economically weaker groups have limited options in relation to healthcare and fewer options regarding surgery. In conditions that seriously affect joints, such as Arthritis, surgery is the last resort and one that is taken once mobility is severely restricted. It is neither a cheap option nor one that is taken lightly but it is one that is necessary in order to regain mobility and for some, their dignity. Arthritis is one of the most prevalent reasons for joint replacements and is a condition affects millions every year. It has no permanent or long-term cure (with the exception of surgery) as yet and unfortunately, falls fairly low on the list of priorities for both, health care systems and the government. Considering that one of the most common types of arthritis is degenerative and this is almost inevitable i.e. in all likelihood joints will wear down with time there is surprisingly little being done to educate the public on the existence of this and how to manage the condition. Early diagnosis is key to its manageability yet few know about the condition, which in turn precludes early diagnosis. As a result, Arthritis is considered by many in the health field to be a public health concern. In a bid to narrow this gap in knowledge and provide the economically weaker section with choice regarding treatment options, Dr Ashok Rajgopal established the Rajgopal Foundation in 2015.
