H. Sudarshan Ballal

H. Sudarshan Ballal (born 15 September 1954) is an Indian kidney transplant physician, nephrologist currently director of Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology, the chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of Manipal Hospitals Group and Senate Member of Manipal University, now known as Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).

Ballal is the adjunct professor of medicine at MAHE, a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Saint Louis University Medical Centre, Chairman of the Board at Stempeutics Research Pvt. Ltd. and examiner for the Royal College of Physicians London.

Early life and career
Ballal was born in Udupi, a coastal district of Karnataka, India. He received his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal in 1977 and won the Dr. T. M. A. Pai Gold Medal for the Best Outgoing Student for the year 1976. After completing his MBBS degree he went to the United States for further study to gain a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. His US teachers accepted his training in India very well and his three-year program was relaxed by a year and he completed his M.D. in just two years. After obtaining his M.D degree, he did his residency at Deaconess Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri. He then pursued his Fellowship in Nephrology at St. Louis University Medical Centre.

Later career
Ballal performed the first cadaver Kidney transplantation in Karnataka.

His department at Manipal Hospitals performs more than four thousand kidney dialysis procedures every month. The two-year training program in Nephrology started by Ballal in 1999 is recognised by the National Board and Rajiv Gandhi University. He was conferred with the Teacher of Excellence Award, 2014 by the National Board of Examination.

Ballal regularly contributes as a columnist to various newspapers.

He is the member of the Consultative Group on the COVID-19 pandemic, providing advice to support the government's fight against coronavirus.

Ballal actively supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ayushman Bharat Yojana campaign.

Philanthropy
Ballal has been involved in numerous CSR activities aimed at improving the conditions of the economically disadvantaged sections of the society and of those afflicted with serious kidney issues who are unable to access good quality medical care. Launched free Pediatric Kidney Transplants (Kidney Transplants for children) for disadvantaged sections of the society in the name of Master Yatarth, whose parents donated his organs after his unfortunate demise. This program is jointly shared by Belanje Sanjeeva Hegde Trust and Manipal Hospitals, Bangalore. He conducts in awareness programs about preventive aspects of kidney disease in association with philanthropic organizations like Rotary Club India, Lions Club India. He has been consulted on plans for health policies for poor people which would ensure continued free access coverage for all diseases.

Awards and achievements
In 2005, Ballal was awarded Udupi District Rajyotsava Award and in 2016 the prestigious Kannada Rajyotsava Award by the Government of Karnataka for his contributions to the field of Medicine. He was elected, in 2009, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, an honour rarely conferred upon those who have not trained or worked within the UK, as in Ballal's case, but occasionally given in recognition of medical experts of other countries.

He has also been honoured with:
 * Namma Bengaluru Award, February 2010
 * Padma Awards nominee 2014