“Aikyaa Heart Health & Wellness is more than an online space for me—it is a deep calling.”

I am Dr. Purnima Hirudayaraj. In Sanskrit, Hirudayaraj means “King of Hearts.”

I am board-certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Lifestyle Medicine, and Obesity Medicine, with additional training in Nutrition Science from Stanford University. I live and practice in Houston, Texas.

My Academic Roots & Training

My medical journey began at Madurai Medical College in India, followed by residency and cardiology training in the United Kingdom, where I earned my MRCP.

I completed Internal Medicine training at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and a fellowship in Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. I later served as Assistant Professor of Cardiology at UTHealth McGovern Medical School before transitioning to independent practice.

Why I Created Aikyaa

I have been in medicine for thirty years. Caring for the heart, from the heart, was inherent in me. Cardiology became my specialty. But this journey started long before that, in a family and a community that knew illness up close.

I lost my father at 64. Morbid obesity, and everything that came with it. There was no lifestyle coaching then, no real framework for prevention. He was cared for, but the tools we have today simply did not exist. That loss stayed with me.

My closest friend suffered a heart attack and stroke, carrying the silent risks that come with South Asian heritage. Acute cardiovascular care took care of her and she survived. But it shook me deeply. That gap, that missing link, that "this should have been prevented" feeling kept haunting me.

As a South Asian physician I have seen this pattern repeat itself too many times. Heart disease arriving earlier than expected. Diabetes showing up despite seemingly normal weight. Metabolic conditions running silently through generations. This is not just my family's story. It is the story of an entire community.

For most of my career I worked in acute cardiology. Saving a critically ill patient gives you a feeling that is hard to describe. But over time something shifted in me. From illness to wellness. From bedside to prevention. I realized my peace lies in preventing a person from ever needing that critical care.

I started asking myself a different question. What if someone never had to get there in the first place?

I believe that when a person truly understands what is happening in their own body, something shifts. They become an active participant in their own health. And that can travel outward, through a family, through a community, like a chain reaction.

That is where I find meaning now.

My own health journey pushed me further. Navigating my own metabolic health without clear answers. Pursuing additional training in Lifestyle Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Nutrition Science, not just professionally but personally.

Aikyaa came from all of that. Thirty years of medical experience, personal loss, watching people I love struggle, and a deep belief that prevention should not be an afterthought.

It should be the foundation.

Why South Asian Heart Health Matters to Me

As someone of South Asian origin, I have witnessed the heavy burden of heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in our community — and have personally lost loved ones to these conditions.

South Asian heart health is deeply personal to me. This inspired the creation of the Aikyaa South Asian Heart Initiative (SAHI), a program dedicated to addressing the unique and heightened cardiometabolic risks faced by South Asians.

Through Aikyaa, I aim to empower South Asians to take ownership of their heart and metabolic health by integrating evidence-based medicine with culturally meaningful dietary, movement, and mindfulness practices.

My Approach to Care

I believe a healthy heart rests on a strong metabolic foundation — and above all, on harmony across body, mind, and lived experience.

My role is not to impose a regimen, but to walk alongside you — supporting your journey toward sustainable cardiometabolic health, at your own pace, with clarity and confidence.

I bring not only clinical expertise, but a shared understanding shaped by personal health challenges and experiences.

I strive to be the kind of physician and guide I would want for my own family — credible, compassionate, and empowering.

I am grateful to share this space with you and honored to be part of your health journey.

With warmth,

Dr. Purnima Hirudayaraj