Poona Hospital and Research Centre has helped more than 7,000 children from across Maharashtra get free corrective surgery for cleft lip and cleft palate since 2002. That programme gives a good sense of the hospital’s character. It is a not-for-profit, multi-speciality hospital in Sadashiv Peth, in the heart of old Pune, built with donations from local citizens and run by the Rajasthani & Gujarati Charitable Foundation. It opened in 1985 with 60 beds and now has around 250. Its stated goal has stayed the same throughout: specialty and super-specialty care for every section of society at a reasonable cost.
| Quick Facts | Details |
| Full name | Poona Hospital & Research Centre |
| Address | 27, Sadashiv Peth, L.B. Shastri Road, Near Alka Talkies, Pune, Maharashtra 411030, India |
| Landmark | Alka Talkies Chowk |
| Foundation stone | September 1982, laid by Shri Dongreji Maharaj |
| Started functioning | 1985, with 60 beds |
| Current bed capacity | 250 beds (the hospital’s official figure; some directories list 300) |
| Managed by | Rajasthani & Gujarati Charitable Foundation |
| Type | Not-for-profit, multi-speciality tertiary care hospital |
| Accreditations | NABH, NABL, ISO |
| Emergency number | 020-6609 6000 |
| Appointments | +91 97305 59600 |
| phrcjr@gmail.com | |
| Blood bank | 24-hour service (Rakesh Jain Memorial Blood Bank, set up in 2007) |
| Imaging | 3 Tesla MRI, CT scan, ultrasonography, radiology |
| Cardiac and neuro | Rasiklal M. Dhariwal Centre for Cardiac and Neuro Sciences, with cath labs and cardiac OTs |
| Eye care | Shri Mukundas Lohia Netralaya (opened 2016) |
| Organ transplant | Recognised as a cadaver donor organ transplant centre since 1995 |
| Room categories | Private AC, non-AC, and luxury rooms, besides general wards |
| Visiting hours | 12 noon–1 PM and 4:30 PM–7 PM |
| Financial support | I&P (Indigent and Poor) scheme; 40+ Health Card discounts |
| Academic | DNB training (since 1996), Rasiklal M. Dhariwal Institute of Nursing Education, ISCCM critical care courses |
| Nearest metro stations | Deccan Gymkhana and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan (Aqua Line); Mandai (Purple Line) |
| Nearest railway station | Pune Junction, about 4–5 km |
| Nearest airport | Pune International Airport, Lohegaon, about 12–14 km |
| Time zone | IST, UTC+5:30 (no daylight saving) |
| Official website | poonahospital.org |
A Hospital Funded by Its Own City
Many private hospitals in India are built by corporate groups or single wealthy families. Poona Hospital took a different route. Members of Pune’s Rajasthani and Gujarati communities formed a charitable foundation, collected donations from local citizens, and asked Shri Dongreji Maharaj, the well-known Bhagwat Katha orator, to lay the foundation stone in 1982. The hospital opened three years later with 60 beds.
Much of its later growth came from further donations, which is why several buildings and departments carry the names of the families who paid for them:
- The Charturbhuj Balmukund Lohia Wing (1997) added 58 beds and a modern OPD complex.
- The Rasiklal M. Dhariwal Institute of Nursing Education opened in 1998.
- The Rasiklal M. Dhariwal Centre for Cardiac and Neuro Sciences started in 2003.
- The Rakesh Jain Memorial Blood Bank followed in 2007.
- The Shri Mukundas Lohia Netralaya eye department opened in 2016.
Along the way, the hospital was recognised as a cadaver organ transplant centre (1995), became a DNB teaching hospital (1996), set up an emergency and trauma unit and an MRI service (1998, since upgraded to 3 Tesla), partnered with Smile Train (2002), upgraded its cardiology department with two new cath labs (2012), and opened a new pulmonology lab (2020).
Around Alka Talkies Chowk
The hospital’s address, 27 Sadashiv Peth, is on L.B. Shastri Road near Alka Talkies Chowk. The chowk sits at the Sadashiv Peth end of the Lakdi Pul (Sambhaji Bridge) over the Mutha river, which connects the old city with Deccan Gymkhana on the other side. Almost every auto driver in Pune knows the route to “Poona Hospital, Alka Talkies”.
Pune Metro: The Aqua Line stations at Deccan Gymkhana and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan are just across the river, and Mandai on the Purple Line is also close. From any of these, a short auto ride brings you to the hospital.
Train: Pune Junction is about 4–5 km away. By auto or cab, it usually takes 20 minutes, longer in peak traffic.
Bus: Swargate, one of Pune’s main bus terminals for state transport buses, is a few kilometres south of the hospital. This makes the hospital easy to reach for patients coming from Satara, Kolhapur, and other districts.
Air: Pune International Airport at Lohegaon is about 12–14 km away. The drive through the city generally takes 40 minutes to an hour.
A local tip: Alka Talkies Chowk is one of the key points on the route of Pune’s Ganesh immersion procession. On visarjan day, and on some other festival days, roads around the chowk are closed or packed for hours. If you have a planned admission or appointment during Ganeshotsav, check road closures in advance or ask the hospital which entrance to use.
Departments at a Glance
The hospital divides its clinical work into three groups:
| Specialties | Super Specialties | Diagnostics |
| General Medicine | Cardiac Sciences | Radiology |
| General Surgery | Neuro Sciences | CT Scan |
| Gynaecology & Obstetrics | Gastroenterology | 3 Tesla MRI |
| Paediatrics | Nephrology | Ultrasonography |
| Orthopaedics | Urology | Pathology |
| ENT | Oncology | Endoscopy |
| Ophthalmology | Head & Neck Oncology | Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) |
| Dermatology | Endocrinology | Cardiology diagnostics |
| Psychiatry | Rheumatology | Neurology diagnostics |
| Diabetology | Plastic Surgery | Audiology & Speech Therapy |
| Chest Medicine & Interventional Pulmonology | Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery | — |
| Critical Care | Chest Diseases | — |
| Pain Clinic | Anaesthesia | — |
| Ayurveda | — | — |
| Homeopathy | — | — |
Having Ayurveda and Homeopathy departments alongside modern medicine is unusual for a tertiary care hospital. It reflects the preferences of many of the families the hospital serves.
Services Worth Knowing About
Heart and Brain Care
The Rasiklal M. Dhariwal Centre for Cardiac and Neuro Sciences handles angiography, angioplasty, pacemakers, and heart surgery, along with stroke care and neurological diagnostics. Its cath labs have been upgraded several times since 2003, and a cardiac ambulance service supports emergency transfers.
Free Cleft Surgery with Smile Train
Since 2002, the hospital has worked with Smile Train, an international charity, to perform free corrective surgery for children born with cleft lip and palate. Families from anywhere in Maharashtra can apply. For a child, this surgery changes speech, eating, and self-confidence, so it is well worth asking about.
Eye Care
The Shri Mukundas Lohia Netralaya offers cataract surgery, retina treatment, and more. It installed a 577 nm yellow laser for retinal treatment, described by the hospital as the first of its kind in western Maharashtra.
Kidney Care and Transplants
The hospital runs a dialysis unit for patients with kidney failure, and it has been approved as a cadaver organ transplant centre since 1995.
Blood Bank
The Rakesh Jain Memorial Blood Bank operates around the clock and supports surgery, emergencies, and patients who need regular transfusions.
Hearing and Speech
The audiology department, set up in 2011, provides hearing tests, hearing aid fitting, and speech therapy for children and adults.
Rehabilitation
Physiotherapy and rehabilitation services cover recovery after surgery, fractures, and strokes.
Making Treatment Affordable
Poona Hospital runs two programmes to keep costs down, and many patients don’t know about either.
The I&P (Indigent and Poor) scheme. As a charitable hospital in Maharashtra, Poona Hospital reserves beds for free treatment of indigent patients and concessional treatment of economically weaker patients. The state sets the income limits. Patients usually need to show an income certificate or ration card. The hospital has a dedicated I&P desk; contact it before admission if possible.
The 40+ Health Card. Anyone aged 40 or above can enrol for this card, which gives:
- 20% off OPD diagnostics such as pathology, radiology, and cardiology tests
- 10% off the total inpatient bill, excluding drugs and consumables
For older patients who need frequent tests or follow-ups, the savings add up.
The hospital also works with a list of TPAs and insurers. Check your insurer’s cashless eligibility before a planned admission.
Admission Day: Attendants, Visitors, and Rules
Each admitted patient gets one attendant pass, issued at the admission desk. The attendant must carry the pass every time they leave and re-enter the inpatient area, because security may not allow them back in without it.
Other visitors are allowed only during fixed hours:
| Slot | Timing |
| Morning | 12:00 noon – 1:00 PM |
| Evening | 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM |
Some other points to keep in mind:
- Visitors are strictly restricted in critical care units. Only the attendant with a pass may enter, and only as the ICU staff allow.
- Don’t keep cash, jewellery, or documents in the room. The hospital does not take responsibility for lost valuables.
- Never leave the patient unattended, even for a short time.
- Public areas are under CCTV surveillance.
- Use the feedback forms at nursing stations if something goes wrong. The hospital reviews them.
Training the Next Generation
The “Research Centre” part of the name refers to real academic work. Since 1996, the hospital has been recognised by the National Board of Examinations for DNB postgraduate training in medicine, orthopaedics, surgery, anaesthesia, cardiology, and neurology. The Rasiklal M. Dhariwal Institute of Nursing Education has trained nurses since 1998 and now admits 40 students a year. The hospital also runs certificate courses in critical care approved by the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM).
A 250-seat auditorium, opened in 2000, hosts regular medical conferences, workshops, and public health talks. Free health camps and outreach programmes are also part of the hospital’s regular work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the address of Poona Hospital Pune?
27, Sadashiv Peth, L.B. Shastri Road, Near Alka Talkies, Pune, Maharashtra 411030.
Q2. What is the emergency number of Poona Hospital?
Call 020-6609 6000 for emergencies.
Q3. How do I book an appointment at Poona Hospital?
Call +91 97305 59600 or use the appointment form on the hospital’s website.
Q4. When was Poona Hospital established?
Its foundation stone was laid in 1982, and it began functioning in 1985.
Q5. Who runs Poona Hospital and Research Centre?
It is run by the Rajasthani & Gujarati Charitable Foundation, a not-for-profit trust.
Q6. How many beds does Poona Hospital have?
The hospital currently has about 250 beds.
Q7. What are the visiting hours at Poona Hospital?
12 noon to 1 PM and 4:30 PM to 7 PM.
Q8. Does Poona Hospital offer free treatment?
Yes. Eligible patients can get free or concessional treatment under the I&P scheme.
Q9. What is the 40+ Health Card at Poona Hospital?
It is a card for people aged 40 and above that gives 20% off OPD diagnostics and 10% off inpatient bills, excluding drugs and consumables.
Q10. Is Poona Hospital NABH accredited?
Yes. The hospital holds NABH, NABL, and ISO certifications.
