Its promoter, Dr Nitu Mandke, is a leading cardiovascular surgeon, whose field of specialisation is minimally invasive coronary artery surgery. He came into the limelight after having operated on Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, and it was alleged that the three acres of land for the heart hospital was a measure of the Sena chief's gratitude. But Mandke counters this allegation, saying he had applied for the land as far back as 1987.

He adds that it is sheer coincidence that the approval came around the same time he treated Thackeray. The estimated cost of the project is about Rs 150crore, which Mandke says is being financed by donations, equity and borrowings. His medical interests apart, Mandke is the chairman of a social organisation named Rashtra Chetna, and heads the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Mumbai unit.

"I returned to India in 1985, after eight years of practice in the US, and found that there was no ideal hospital in Mumbai, let alone a super-speciality heart hospital. And this is the financial capital of the country. The private hospitals are all owned by industrial houses who don't think very highly of the doctors they employ. Patients' relatives are most often neglected, if not patients themselves. All these factors prompted me to start thinking what an ideal hospital would be like," Mandke says.

His dream is taking shape and should be realised by the end of October 2001. The HHMRC, incorporating all modern facilities and state-of-the-art equipment, will have 400 beds. There will be three cardiac catheterization laboratories and eight operating rooms. All invasive andnon-invasive cardiological procedures will be performed by expert doctors. "The aim is to perform 20 open heart surgeries every day," says Mandke. The sheer urgency that often leads a patient to hospital has been kept in mind while designing HHMRC. A rooftop helipad is being built for an air ambulance service, and an emergency operation theatre will be situated on the ground floor.

Apart from incorporating quality medical facilities, a blood bank, a physiotherapy centre and a nursing school, HHMRC has a heart for patients' relatives, too. It will have 100 guest rooms to accommodate people who come from other cities in India, and abroad. Also, a travel agency will operate from the hospital premises to make it easier for outstation visitors.

In order to ensure that a patient leaves HHMRC's precincts only after he has recovered completely, a modern rehabilitation centre will aid recovery, and even modify his daily routine so that he can resume work at the earliest possible date. In this he can receive helpfrom an ayurveda centre, a physiotherapy department as well as a yoga kendra. A 150-seat cafeteria is being set up to cater to patients, their relatives and visitors, while an auditorium with a seating capacity of 600 will host national and international conferences.

Since mental peace is recognised as an essential factor in any recovery process, a meditation centre and temple are part of the hospital complex. The morbid feeling associated with a visit to the hospital is sought to be lessened by children's playroom and a garden. And yes, visitors need not lug cumbersome bouquets along, they can make a purchase from the in-house gift and florist shop.

Situated at the busy Four Bungalow junction, HHMRC would cause a major traffic problem in the area but for its underground car park which can accommodate more than 300 vehicles at a time.

Amidst all this extravagance, he says, provisions have been made for those patients who cannot afford the exorbitant cost of heart surgery. Fifteen per cent of the peoplevisiting the hospital will be treated free of cost.

The hospital belongs to the Malti Vasant Heart Trust (Malti and Vasant are Nitu Mandke's parents), but is not named after them. It will merely be called the Heart Hospital and Medical Research Centre. "Why does it need a name?" demands Mandke. He adds, ``In any case, they will remember me every time they look at the hospital."