Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, May 2025 – Karuna Ponnada has joined ASG Eye Hospital as the new Group Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). In her new role, she will be spearheading HR strategy, transformation, and integration across one of the largest and most diversified eye care networks in India, which includes Vasan Eye Care and over 20 other entities.
Karuna brings over two decades of experience in HR leadership across the healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, and telecom sectors. At Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital & Research Centre, she served as Chief Human Resources Officer and led the HR function with a focus on strategic alignment, balanced scorecard implementation, and high-performance culture building. Her leadership significantly enhanced organizational effectiveness and employee engagement.
Prior to that, she held multiple leadership roles at Apollo Hospitals, including Vice President Human Resources and Senior General Manager – HR, where she was instrumental in driving the ‘ONE APOLLO’ integration. She successfully led strategic workforce planning and the transition to shared HR services, along with deploying HR tech and digital HR solutions.
Earlier, she was the Head of People HR & HR Operations and Business HR Head at Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited, where she built scalable HR operations and designed performance and engagement frameworks for rapid expansion. Her efforts contributed to measurable retention and employee satisfaction improvements.
Karuna’s earlier career includes leading global talent and engagement at Cigniti Technologies, managing HR operations at Genpact, and holding key roles in HR at Airtel and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, where she developed strong foundations in HR compliance, automation, and strategic planning.
ASG Eye Hospital is India’s leading chain of over 165 super-specialty eye hospitals across 85+ cities, known for its comprehensive eye care services. Founded by AIIMS-trained ophthalmologists, the hospital group offers cutting-edge treatments including advanced retinal surgeries, LASIK, glaucoma treatment, corneal microsurgery, and cosmetic eye procedures. With more than 700,000 patients treated and a team of highly trained specialists, ASG Eye Hospital is dedicated to delivering expert ophthalmic care with a focus on innovation and excellence.
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