Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder and former CEO of Infosys, and chairman of Axilor Ventures, speaks with Forbes India in his capacity as a key patron of the Longevity India initiative at the Indian Institute of Science, where he is helping shape India’s ageing research agenda through strategic investments in infrastructure and science. Edited excerpts:
Q. How can India rethink its health care approach to support longer, healthier lives?
This means shifting the focus from curative to preventive care. Today, we think of doctors or hospitals only when we’re unwell. But by then, it may be too late. In fact, 70 percent of health care spending happens in the last three years of a person’s life—when it’s clear that the person is nearing the end.
The focus must shift to preventive, primary care. Right now, we don’t have a strong concept of primary care clinics. There are government-run clinics; Kerala does a good job, but many other states don’t.
This also means we need to start talking about things like sugar content in food, balanced diets, processed versus unprocessed foods, and so on. There’s a lot of work to be done. And it all has to start with science—with research—and then move to market. We need to create awareness, and put pressure on businesses to offer the right products and solutions. Many new startups too are emerging, focussed on healthy living.
There’s also renewed interest in India’s traditional medicine systems, which are holistic and wellness-based. So, integrated medicine—the concept of combining traditional and modern approaches—is also important. Understanding the role of traditional systems like ayurveda along with practices like yoga, is essential. But a lot of work still needs to be done. It must be evidence-based, grounded in science, and followed by businesses that actually implement these practices.
Q. Are there startups working in this space?
Yes, there are startups—it’s still early days, but activity is picking up. I personally wanted to influence behaviour by encouraging a shift towards primary care. So, we’ve supported a company that offers a single-price annual membership for consultations.
At the premium level—`20,000 a year—you get four health tests annually, unlimited online consultations, and advice on exercise, nutrition and more. It provides predictability. If you develop a condition that requires secondary or tertiary care, we’ll continue to support you with guidance, though not financially. The company is called Bridge Health, and it’s currently operating only in Bengaluru. It’s a startup—we’re still testing the thesis.
Q. When we talk about the business of longevity, do you think the lines between health care and healthtech are starting to blur, or have they already?
Yes, they’re definitely blurring. Health care is the broader industry, while healthtech refers to the technologies that help you understand and manage your health. Healthtech isn’t just about wearables. It includes understanding genomics, the microbiome—and now we know there’s a link between the microbiome and mental health. So, healthtech is about using new tools to understand the human body better and better.
The longevity space, meanwhile, is focussed on understanding how we age. At the Indian Institute of Science, for instance, researchers are studying how cells age—and why some cells age faster than others. There isn’t just one biological clock; there are multiple. Understanding the relationships between them is part of the science of ageing. And from that, we can begin to think about interventions.
Also Read: AI will soon be our primary caretaker: Bryan Johnson
Q. In terms of interventions, where does India stand compared to other countries?
I believe everyone is still at the beginning. Whatever knowledge is available globally, we have access to it too. The difference is that in the West, individuals are spending huge amounts of money on interventions, hoping to stay young. Whether those efforts will succeed—or lead to other problems—we don’t yet know.
In India, we can’t afford those high-cost interventions. So, we need to find solutions that are cheaper, more accessible, and easier to adopt. And we need to think at the population level. With 1.4 billion people, any solution we develop must be scalable—it can’t be for just a million people.
This is where India can make a significant contribution to global science—by developing low-cost, scalable solutions. That’s why I believe India must do this research.
Q. Are there certain things you personally do to stay healthy?
Yes, definitely. When it was announced that I would become CEO, the first thing I did was a health check-up. I wanted to ensure I stayed healthy—a lot of people were going to depend on me, and I didn’t want to fall sick. That’s when I became more regular with exercise and more mindful about food. It also got me thinking more deeply about health and longevity.
After stepping down from Infosys, I was able to devote more time and effort to this. Today, I’m quite regular with my exercise. My wife is an avid organic farmer, so we mostly eat what we grow on our farm. We try to live a healthier lifestyle.
One thing I’d add is that integrated medicine is an area we need to work on. It’s fascinating that 5,000 years ago someone came up with yoga—a holistic practice that connects body and mind. Without the tools of modern science, how did they know that yoga and meditation could still the mind and improve well-being?
I feel we’ve lost a lot of that knowledge over time. We need to make an effort to understand our own knowledge systems and history.
Q. As an investor who works with young founders, do you see a shift in how they think about health, especially with rising concerns around burnout and stress?
That’s an entirely different but very important topic. I strongly believe everything in life requires balance. If you’re working hard, you need to understand the consequences and take appropriate measures. Stress is inevitable but you must learn how to manage it.
If you ignore it, it’s like falling sick and not taking medicine—it only gets worse. So, you need to identify stress and take remedial action. Prevention is key. It’s not hard work that kills people—it’s neglecting the body that does.
First Published: Nov 24, 2025, 17:11
Subscribe Now