Dr. Rahul Bhargava
Principal Director & Chief – Hematology
Hematologist & BMT Specialist
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About Dr. Rahul Bhargava
Dr. Rahul Bhargava is a leading Hematologist and BMT specialist currently working at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram. With an experience of more than 20 years in Hematology, Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation, he has performed numerous BMTs with consistently successful outcomes and is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in this highly specialised field in India.
He primarily specialises in haploidentical and unrelated match transplants and has performed over 1,500 transplants to date. In 2016, he became the first Indian doctor to perform and popularise BMT for Multiple Sclerosis — a breakthrough that opened a new frontier of treatment for MS patients who had exhausted conventional therapies.
Before joining Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Dr. Bhargava was associated with Medanta and Artemis, which are premier hospitals for cancer care in India. He had a major role in setting up the BMT and Hematology departments at both institutions. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in establishing 10 affordable BMT centres across India, including at Sarvodaya Hospital, Batra Hospital, and Action Balaji Hospital — making this life-saving treatment accessible to many more patients across different economic backgrounds.
With his team of oncology specialists, Dr. Rahul Bhargava performed the first Haploidentical BMT on a Fanconi Anaemia patient in India. He is dedicated to his vision of an anemia-free and thalassemia-free India, and actively collaborates with government initiatives to provide low-cost treatment to those in need. His extensive experience and commitment to the field have earned him a reputation as one of the top BMT experts in Delhi and Gurgaon. He is regularly invited as a faculty to speak at national and international seminars and conferences.
Conditions Treated by Dr. Rahul Bhargava
- Aplastic anaemia
- Thalassemia major
- Sickle cell disease
- Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Hodgkin lymphoma
- Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
- Multiple Sclerosis (via BMT)
- Fanconi anaemia
Areas of Interest
- Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT)
- Haploidentical and unrelated match transplants
- Adult and Pediatric Hemato-Oncology
- Thalassemia and anaemia management
- BMT for autoimmune diseases including Multiple Sclerosis
- Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
- High-dose chemotherapy protocols
- Affordable BMT centre development across India
Qualifications
- MBBS — Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, 1995
- MD (General Medicine) — Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, 2005
- DM (Clinical Hematology) — All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, 2009
- Advanced Fellowship in Unrelated and Haploidentical Transplant — Vancouver, Canada, 2009
Work Experience
- Principal Director – Hemato-Oncology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram (2017 – Present)
- Head of Hematology and BMT, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram (2013 – 2016)
- Consultant of Hematology and BMT, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram (2011 – 2013)
- Senior Resident of Hematology and BMT, Christian Medical College, Vellore (2005 – 2006)
Certifications (3)
DM in Clinical Hematology
AIIMS, New Delhi — 2009
Advanced Fellowship in Haploidentical Transplant
Vancouver, Canada — 2009
First Indian Doctor to perform BMT for Multiple Sclerosis
Recognized by Indian Hematology community — 2016
Memberships (9)
- Founder Member, Delhi Hematology Group
- Indian Society of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine
- Indian Academy of Pediatrics
- International Society of Pediatric Oncology
- Pediatric Hemato Oncology Society
- American Society of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology
- American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT)
- Delhi Medical Council
- Rajasthan Medical Council
Research Papers & Publications (3)
Haploidentical bone marrow transplantation in aplastic anaemia — outcomes from a single Indian centre
Bone Marrow Transplantation — 2018
BMT for Multiple Sclerosis: first Indian experience and two-year follow-up
Neurology India — 2017
Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in thalassemia major — long-term outcomes in paediatric patients
Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion — 2021
Procedures
Performed as part of his high-dose chemotherapy protocols for multiple myeloma and lymphoma patients — the patient's own stem cells are used to restore healthy marrow after intensive treatment.
One of the core transplant types behind his 1,500+ procedure track record, used for leukaemias, myelodysplastic syndrome and severe aplastic anaemia where a matched donor's marrow replaces the patient's own.
His primary sub-specialisation. In 2016 his team performed India's first haploidentical BMT on a Fanconi Anaemia patient, extending transplant access to patients who don't have a fully matched donor.
Trained in this technique during his 2009 Advanced Fellowship in Vancouver, Canada, and has since used it for aplastic anaemia and leukaemia patients with no matched family donor.
Co-authored long-term outcome research (Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, 2021) on this technique in paediatric thalassemia major patients.
Used as the conditioning protocol ahead of autologous transplants for his multiple myeloma and lymphoma patients.
Central to his stated goal of a thalassemia-free India — he helped establish 10 affordable BMT centres nationwide, including at Sarvodaya, Batra and Action Balaji hospitals, to widen access to this curative treatment.
The subject of his 2018 published research on haploidentical transplant outcomes in aplastic anaemia patients at his centre.
In 2016, Dr. Bhargava became the first doctor in India to perform and popularise BMT for Multiple Sclerosis, documented in his 2017 Neurology India paper with two-year follow-up data — a route for MS patients who had exhausted conventional therapy.
The standard diagnostic step he performs to confirm and stage blood cancers and marrow disorders before planning a transplant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Bhargava has performed over 1,500 bone marrow transplants across his career, including many of the first-of-their-kind procedures in India — such as the first BMT for Multiple Sclerosis and the first Haploidentical BMT on a Fanconi Anaemia patient. His depth of experience across both adult and paediatric haematology, combined with his work in making BMT accessible at affordable centres, sets him apart.