PALAKKAD: K V Sajeesh is a self-made man. The 34-year-old had to overcome umpteen challenges to become the successful entrepreneur he is today. His crowning glory: K V Surgicals and Research Centre, in his home village of Kothukurussi, near Ottapalam.
After dropping out of school in his 10th grade, Sajeesh moved to Bengaluru in search of a job, to support his parents Ayyappan and Kalyanikutty, who were both daily wagers. “It was by sheer luck that I met a Malayali man on alighting at the bus stand in Bengaluru. On narrating my situation, he gave me a job at his surgical equipment-making unit. Initially, I was asked to wash the equipment and pack them. After my shift, I used to help out at the production centre. On realising my interest, the owner shifted me to the production unit,” recounts Sajeesh.
He worked there for nearly six years. At the time, all the equipment used in hospitals were of German make and the Indian units were merely reproducing them. Some doctors had specific needs. Dr Jose Chacko Periappuram, a cardiac surgeon with Lisie hospital in Kochi, used to provide designs to instruments he needed, asking the Bengaluru unit to supply them. Subsequently, Sajeesh was deputed to craft the instruments for Dr Jose. Following encouraging feedback, the Bengaluru company applied for patent for its manufacturing process and secured it.
“Later, I met with a bike accident in Bengaluru and I broke my hand. Doctors advised me against carrying weight. This led to me being sidelined at the factory. I thought it better to quit on my own terms before getting the marching orders,” notes Sajeesh.
“I decided to meet Dr Jose. But I had no business card, and it took me two days to get across to him. I finally approached him at the hospital parking lot. He recognised me. I told him my story. Dr Jose, who was aware of my skills, asked me to set up a small unit. He promised me all support,” says Sajeesh.
“I placed two small machines in a portion of my rented house, with a bedsheet used to demarcate it from my personal space. The unit now employs 60 people. I have taken care to provide jobs to the residents of Ananganadi panchayat,” he added.
Most of the surgical equipment used here have traditional design and limitations. Therefore, we had to do some research to innovate. My aim is to build a global brand, says Sajeesh. “I have been using Sajeesh’s surgical equipments for the last eight years and they are of good quality. I provide the designs and he supplies the necessary equipment. He is a hard worker and supplies the instruments on time. Considering the price and quality, they are worth it. Global brands use a different alloy and demand high prices,” said Dr Yoganadan, a cardiac surgeon in Thiruvananthapuram.
“As part of expansion plans, I purchased an acre of land in my own village. We held discussions with Finance Minister K N Balagopal, Health Minister Veena George and Industries Minister P Rajeeve, who have promised government support. I plan to set up a unit and start a one-year course in the making of surgical equipments. I will train 300 students. My firm will absorb 100 of them,” says Sajeesh, who has customers abroad and has clocked crores in turnover in a decade.
Just like his unit’s tagline, ‘Surgeons imagine, we create’, Sajeesh says his endeavour is to manufacture surgical equipments at half the price of global brands so that hospitals can save on costs and lower treatment costs, especially for the poor.