In an era where burnout often truncates medical careers, Dr Suri Srimathi is a remarkable exception. At 92, the gynaecologist based in Hyderabad continues to perform surgeries, treat patients, and stay actively engaged in medical practice — a career spanning over six decades. Also read | 91-year-old woman proves fitness has no expiration date: ‘I go for a swim, yoga, Pilates and walk 12000 steps daily’
Her extraordinary life was highlighted in an Instagram video shared by BBC Global Women on August 5. Moreover, over the course of her lifetime, she has delivered an estimated 2,00,000 babies, according to a March 2026 article by The Better India.
‘I graduated in medicine in 1958’
Dr Srimathi’s educational journey began at Osmania University, where she earned her Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in obstetrics and gynaecology in October 1965, following her initial medical graduation in 1958. In the March 2026 interview with The Better India, Dr Srimathi revealed that her motivation to pursue medicine stemmed from childhood, after her siblings fell severely ill with smallpox.
Because women studying medicine and handling cadavers were heavily frowned upon at the time, her family faced intense pressure: “My family faced social boycott; our relatives stopped speaking to us.” Despite the backlash, she persevered. “I graduated in medicine in 1958,” Dr Srimathi shared in the BBC Global Women’s Interview, adding, “And I have been practising as a doctor for the past 60 years.”
A legacy spanning generations
Her first independent delivery reportedly took place in 1959 at a government hospital in Sangareddy, where she had to perform a C-section on a 15-year-old girl. Lacking the specialised teams common in modern operating rooms, she had to wear multiple hats. “I was the anaesthesiologist, the gynaecologist and the paediatrician,” she recalled.
Today, her long career has reportedly enabled her to treat three generations of women within the same families. For her patients, that legacy breeds deep trust. Patient Koteru Tulasi shared her experience of having Dr Srimathi perform three caesarean deliveries for her. She told BBC Global Women: “Given her age, initially I was a little apprehensive about whether she would be able to perform surgery. But she instilled confidence in me.”
Fellow medical professionals echo that admiration. Dr Rajani Kumari, a former student from Dr Srimathi’s 1988–1991 batch at Osmania Medical College, addressed any doubts regarding the nonagenarian’s surgical steadiness. “There is no issue of her hands shaking,” Dr Kumari explained to BBC Global Women. “Sometimes our hands may tremble, but not hers,” she added.
Speaking to The Better India, Dr Kumari added that her mentor was an exceptionally compassionate doctor who would spend entire nights in hospital wards, describing her as a ‘neat and meticulous surgeon’ known for her excellent surgical precision.
Daily discipline
According to The Better India report, Dr Srimathi begins her day at 5:30 am with yoga — a practice taught to her by her father, Suri Raghava Deekshitulu, a yoga pioneer in Andhra Pradesh who cycled well into his 90s. By 8:30 am, she maps out her day’s surgeries and reviews patient updates, while reserving her evenings for consultations at a home clinic she established in 1999. She also continues to drive herself around town, maintaining independence in her daily routine.
To stay current in her field, she actively participates in professional development. “I do attend meetings and conferences,” Dr Srimathi told BBC Global Women, adding, “Keep myself updated with the help of medical journals and gather updated information from medical representatives.”
No plans for retirement
Despite reaching an age where most have long since stepped back, Dr Srimathi has no intention of hanging up her stethoscope. Driven by a strong sense of duty to her community, she opens her doors to anyone seeking medical care. “Many people come knocking on my door seeking help. That’s why I want to continue doing it,” she told BBC Global Women.
For Dr Srimathi, the core of medicine remains a simple, unwavering obligation to serve others. She said: “We cannot refuse to serve or treat people when they need help, right?”
