Dr Randeep Suneja
Founder, President, and Medical Director
Cardiology Center of Houston | US Heart and Vascular | Clinical Governance Board | Houston, Texas, USA
Janam Bhumi:
New Delhi, India
Kararm Bhumi:
New Delhi, India
Big of Heart, Rich in Wisdom, Great in Compassion
The ‘Randeep’ Factor: “You must take care of your patients like you take care of your own family with the firm spiritual belief that ‘I treat, He cures’.”
THE MAN
Dr Randeep Suneja was in the eighth grade when he was asked to draw two diagrams of the heart for a biology class project. His older brother, Pradeep, was a pre-med student, so Dr Suneja had access to his textbooks. “I just referenced the images and sketched a dozen. When I shared them with my teacher, he was so impressed that he gave me a rare ‘A Star’ grade,” he recalls. That day, Dr Suneja knew he wanted to be “not just a doctor but a cardiologist” — fittingly so, since medicine is in his DNA.
Dr Suneja was born on 12 September 1960, in a household where discipline, education, and empathy were always stressed upon. His father, Om Prakash, was a top executive with the Oriental Bank of Commerce, while his mother, Usha Rani, a homemaker, went back to college, when his elder brother was just three years old, and successfully graduated, showing her passion for education.
Growing up in Karol Bagh in a multigenerational joint family, Dr Suneja remembers listening to his grandfather narrate stories and impart values. His mother, worrying about him being sickly, enrolled him in school at age 6. Dr Suneja’s schooling may have been delayed, but it didn’t hinder his brilliance. When he joined school, Dr Suneja caught up soon, even skipping grades. As a young boy, Dr Suneja had inscribed three words on the wall above his study desk – ‘Big, Rich, Great’. He has accomplished exactly that. Today, Dr Suneja is a renowned cardiologist, who is rich in knowledge, big of heart, and great at everything he does.
THE JOURNEY
He was only 16, when he secured the fifth rank in India after scoring an extraordinary 93 percent in high school science subjects. It got him entry into the No.1 pre-medical programme at Hindu College, followed by a scholarship for entrance to Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC). College life had its distractions, but his first heartbreak led to his decision to move to the US. An arranged marriage finally took him to Houston, Texas, in 1985. Dr Suneja did odd jobs at a mall and once even faced a violent ‘kidnapping’ in Chicago while attending residency interviews. “I thought I was going to die,” he shudders. But Dr Suneja survived and matched his first choice of residency at SUNY Brooklyn, followed by a cardiology and interventional fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. His father’s passing away because of complications from an angioplasty procedure influenced his approach as a doctor – to treat every patient like family. With this conviction, he founded the Cardiology Center of Houston in 1993 with a US$75,000 loan, one assistant and zero patients. Today, it is an over ten thousand square foot state-of-the-art facility, with a dream team, and led by Dr Suneja who has personally cared for over 70,000 patients in the thirty-three years of his illustrious career.
THE SPIRIT WITHIN
Dr Suneja’s family ascribed to the Arya Samaj, and every Sunday meant a trip to the Karol Bagh ‘Mandir’ (temple). His father’s incentive of a “rupee for every mantra” that Dr Suneja memorised, became his spiritual foundation. His father was also the secretary of the Samaj in Karol Bagh and Dr Suneja saw his father work very hard in the bank and balance it with being a social activist and philanthropist. “The leadership qualities, courage, and spirit of service came from him,” he explains.
Apart from being a compassionate doctor, he has continued to honour his mother’s love for education. He served as the Vice President of Pratham’s Houston Chapter, and was the first Indian-American to be the President of American Heart Association Katy Chapter. He has also been a mentor for over twenty-five years, guiding students pursuing a medical career. An active community champion, he has served on the board of the India House and is a board member of Hindus of Greater Houston. For him, everything from practising medicine with care to mentoring students, is an extension of the values that his parents instilled in him. “I am deeply indebted to the blessings my parents and my patients have bestowed upon me.” His parents have taught him to be kind, compassionate, and giving. His biggest act of giving is yet to come in the form of a non-profit organisation that will make Yoga accessible to everyone across the world, free of cost.
THE LEGACY
The graph of a life spanning over six decades cannot be contained in a simple XY axis. Dr Suneja’s life arc is not just defined by his parents’ upbringing or his academic excellence. Dr Suneja believes that everyone he encountered had a role to play in shaping him. His closest childhood friends, Deepak and Timmy, helped him grow – all night study sessions, life lessons, and more. His journey with his first wife and his three children – Nikhil, Amit, and Divya – came with its learnings, some hard, some even harder. He found love and companionship again with Seema, who he credits for bringing colour into his wardrobe and life. Theirs is a blended family that now comprises their twins, Nisha and Shivani, his three grown-up children, and Seema’s .son, Arjun. They also have four grandchildren to dote on.
By his own admission, Dr Suneja is an eternal optimist. He is also someone who believes in constant learning, which he admits is a “chronic student syndrome”. His boundless energy fuelled his first job at his father’s bank, then a stint at All India Radio and Delhi Doordarshan. When he received his first pay cheque of ₹600 at the age of 19, Dr Suneja bought gifts for everyone in the family and revelled in the joy of giving.
Dr Suneja is a Quintuple Board-Certified cardiologist with nine medical degrees, and has received many top awards, including a mention in the ‘Marquis Who’s Who’. But, he finds the ultimate satisfaction in giving back to his patients and the community. For a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, there could be no more fitting profession.
MAPPING THE INDIA WITHIN
Bharat: Then and Now
“I had a simple childhood in a typical Delhi neighbourhood. Today, when I visit India, I am impressed by how it has blossomed into a global powerhouse, with healthcare at par with the United States and competing on the world stage.”
Bharatiya Values that Travelled
“My mother’s passion for education, my father’s leadership and his spiritual teachings remain my core. The Gayatri Mantra has stayed with me—I wrote it in every book, and I have recited it before every procedure since I started. The values of hard work, humility, and service travelled with me when I left India.”
Generations Abroad: A New Bharatiya Identity
“I missed much of my older children’s early years while building my practice. With our twins, I have made a conscious effort to be very involved. They carry both worlds—Indian values of respect and resilience, and the openness of America—creating a new identity abroad.”
Pride, Progress, and the Spirit Of Bharat
“Personally, it was a great honour for me to be the Chief Physician In Charge of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the Howdy Modi event in Houston. Under his leadership, India has grown in confidence and might. Today, every Indian feels proud of Bharat with the ‘Bhartiya spirit’ reaching for the skies.”
Dreams for the Youth and Future of Bharat
“My dream for India is that it continues to shine as a global economic powerhouse, becoming a Permanent Security Council member of the UN one day. I want the youth to stay rooted in Indian values of hard work and dedication, because it is their passion, perseverance, and intellect that shape the future of Bharat.”
BACK TO THE FUTURE – IN FIVE MOMENTS
Food Cravings
THEN
Going to Depaul’s for cold coffee and Nirula’s for an ice cream.
NOW
I love Indian food, especially ‘Pani Puri’. I absolutely love ‘Masala Chai’ made by my wife.
Sport Spirit
THEN
I was crazy about flying kites as a child and playing Billiards as a medical student, but Zero in Team Sports.
NOW
My wife has reawakened my love for cricket. I am also an avid runner, preparing for my 16th half-marathon.
Music Tastes
THEN
My high school friend introduced me to English music and The Beatles. I have never looked back.
NOW
The Beatles Mania continues, with me attending their concerts even out of town. I love Indian music as well.
Holiday Life
THEN
Joyful trips to maternal grandparents’ house in Punjabi Bagh; that was fun.
NOW
I credit my wife for bringing love for travel into my life. We travel with our children, having visited 30 countries in five continents.
Leisure Habits
THEN
I was a bookworm. My mother constantly told me, “Read less, go out and play.”
NOW
A voracious reader, I plan to turn author next year with my memoir. I practice Yoga regularly, and I am completing my Yoga teacher certification.
Leisure Habits
Quintuple board-certified cardiologist | Founder, Cardiology Center of Houston | President, Cardiology Center of Houston | Medical Director, Cardiology Center of Houston
