Apollo Hospitals Chennai Introduces India’s First Robotics & Telesurgery Initiative

Apollo Hospitals Chennai has launched India’s first Robotics and Telesurgery Program with the establishment of the Apollo Institute of Robotics & Telesurgery (ART), reinforcing its leadership in technology-enabled surgical innovation. The platform integrates robotic platforms with digital connectivity to enable remote surgical guidance, training, and collaboration, helping extend specialized surgical expertise to hospitals across geographies.

The program was unveiled during the 6th Apollo International Colorectal Symposium (AICRS) 2026, which brought together leading surgeons and researchers to discuss emerging innovations in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. The institute aims to promote clinical excellence, skill development, and knowledge exchange through telesurgery-enabled mentoring and collaborative procedures.

A key milestone highlighted during the launch was the growing adoption of robotic colorectal surgery at Apollo Hospitals Chennai. Dr Venkatesh Munikrishnan and his team have completed over 1,000 robotic colorectal procedures, including one of the largest personal series of robotic rectal cancer resections in the region. This extensive experience has helped position Apollo Hospitals Chennai as a subspecialist centre for rectal cancer treatment and a leading training hub for advanced robotic colorectal surgery, attracting surgeons and fellows from across India and internationally.

The initiative also complements Apollo’s expanding robotic surgery ecosystem across specialties such as gastrointestinal surgery, oncology, urology, orthopedics, and cardiac sciences. By combining clinical expertise with advanced technology, Apollo Hospitals continues to strengthen its role in shaping the future of precision-led, digitally connected surgical care.