Shamsheer Vayalil | |
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File:Dr Shamsheer Vayalil.jpg | |
Born | |
Nationality | Indian |
Alma mater |
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Occupations |
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Known for | Founder of VPS Healthcare |
Spouse | Shabeena Ali |
Children | 4 |
Parents |
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Relatives | M. A. Yusuff Ali (father in-law) |
Awards |
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Website | www |
Shamsheer Vayalil Parambath (born 11 January 1977) is an Indian physician, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the chairman and managing director of VPS Healthcare Group,[3] and the vice chairman and managing director of Amanat Holdings, healthcare and education investment company.[4][5]
As of June 2019, Shamsheer has a personal wealth of US$1.4 billion.[2][6]
Shamsheer was born on January 11, 1977 in Kozhikode, Kerala.[7][8][9] After his schooling, he pursued a MBBS at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, then obtained his MD in Radiology from Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute in Porur, Chennai.[10] He did his radiology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.[1]
Shamsheer started his career as a radiologist at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.[11] He worked there for 12 months. In 2007, he became an entrepreneur in the field of healthcare by opening his first hospital – LLH Hospital in Abu Dhabi.[11] Over the next twelve years, Shamsheer started twenty three hospitals in four countries, under the banner of VPS Healthcare.[12] "VPS Healthcare is an integrated healthcare service provider with 23 operational hospitals, over 125 medical centres, 13,000 employees and medical support services spread across the Middle East, Europe and India".[13]
Shamsheer is a member of the UAE Medical Council, a board member of the Abu Dhabi University, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the University of Sharjah's College of Medicine.[14] He is also the director of Kannur International Airport Ltd.[15] and a member of the Kerala NRI Commission – a commission with quasi-judicial powers set up in the Indian state of Kerala to protect the rights, interests, and properties of Non-resident Indians (NRIs) hailing from Kerala.[16]
Shamsheer is a member of "The Giving Pledge".[7] Joining the initiative, he pledged to donate half his wealth for philanthropy.[17]
VPS Healthcare donated emergency healthcare equipment worth Rs 1.75 crores when Nipah viral infection was diagnosed in Kerala in 2018. The consignment was sent to Kerala on a chartered flight from Abu Dhabi.[18]
He personally pledged to donate Dh 26 million (Rs 50 crore) to Kerala after the monsoon floods in August 2018.[19][20]
He was honoured at an event hosted by United Nations in New York for his philanthropy.[21] He was recognised for the community welfare initiatives, which include the '1000 Free Heart Surgeries' initiative for the underprivileged, launched as a tribute to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. As part of the initiative, people from around the world, from new-born babies to a 70-year-old, have undergone successful cardiac surgeries.[21]
In addition, he also made significant donations to the UAE Red Crescent for Syrian refugees and to the Indian Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir. He also extended his support to the kin of the victims of the Mangaluru plane crash in May 2010. He offered jobs and educational assistance to the families of the victims and many of the people that took up jobs at VPS Healthcare continue to work with the company today.[21]
In April 2014, Shamsheer filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India in connection with non-resident Indian (NRI) voting rights. Currently, voters have to travel to their constituency to vote. The Court directed the Election Commission of India to explore the possibility for NRIs to cast their vote from their place of residence. In October 2014, the Commission submitted its report to the Court, recommending that NRIs be permitted to vote by proxy and e-postal ballot.[9] On August 9, 2018, the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill 2017, enabling the facility of proxy voting to overseas Indians, was passed by the Lok Sabha, and was awaiting introduction in the upper house of the Indian Parliament, the Rajya Sabha.[22]
He is married to Shabeena, the eldest daughter of veteran businessman M. A. Yusuff Ali.[8] He has four children.[2]