Dr. Jothi Neeraja, Founder, MD, CEO of People Tree Hospitals & Maarga Mind Care
Compassionate, visionary, and fiercely resilient, Dr. Jothi Neeraja has dedicated her life to healing not just bodies, but lives, families, and communities. As the Founder, Managing Director, and CEO of People Tree Hospitals and Maarga Mind Care, she stands at the forefront of redefining healthcare with empathy, accessibility, and human connection at its core.
But beyond the accomplished doctor and healthcare leader lies the role that transformed her most deeply — motherhood. Dr. Jothi believes becoming a mother reshaped her understanding of strength, resilience, and leadership in ways no boardroom ever could. It taught her to make decisions not only with logic, but with courage, compassion, and emotional wisdom — especially during moments of exhaustion, uncertainty, and pressure.
Her journey as a mother also profoundly shaped her philosophy toward mental health and caregiving. Witnessing the silent emotional burden carried by women, mothers, and caregivers strengthened her mission to create safe, stigma-free, and holistic spaces for healing. Through Maarga Mind Care, she champions the belief that mental wellness is not simply about treatment, but about creating mindful pauses that help people reconnect with themselves, restore balance, and continue life with dignity and strength.
Whether she is leading healthcare institutions, building mental wellness ecosystems, or preserving cherished family rituals around meals, festivals, and conversations, Dr. Jothi embodies a rare balance of discipline and empathy. Her children describe her as strong, independent, and caring — qualities that mirror the grace and humanity she brings into every aspect of her life.
As a proud face of TheGlitzMegaSuperMom 2026, Dr. Jothi Neeraja represents the modern woman who proves that true leadership is deeply human. She is a powerful reminder that motherhood does not diminish ambition — it sharpens purpose, deepens empathy, and creates women capable of changing the world while nurturing the people they love most.
Over To Dr. Jothi Neeraja, Founder, MD, CEO of People Tree Hospitals & Maarga Mind Care
Mother, leader, achiever — which surprised you most?
Motherhood surprised me the most because it changed me at the deepest level. It made me stronger, sharper and far more resilient than I could have ever imagined. Leadership teaches you to make decisions, but motherhood teaches you to make them with courage and compassion, often when you are tired, uncertain or emotionally stretched. After becoming a mother, challenges no longer intimidated me the same way, because I had learnt how to show up every single day, no matter what.
How do you create pause amid the hustle?
Pausing for me is a conscious decision because I like to lead with discipline. I never compromise on family rituals like eating together, spending time together, celebrating festivals and having honest conversations with my loved ones. These moments remind me of who I am beyond my professional identity. At Maarga Mind Care, this belief also reflects in our approach that mental wellness is not only about treatment but also about creating mindful pauses that allow people to recover, reconnect and keep going with strength.
What is one life lesson motherhood has taught you?
Motherhood taught me that strength is not about doing everything alone, but about knowing when to ask for help, when to share responsibility and when to protect your own wellbeing. For many women, especially mothers, there is pressure to be endlessly available and strong, but I have learnt that a mother’s wellbeing is central to her child’s happiness and emotional wellbeing. A healthy, supported mother raises a more secure and emotionally confident child._
Three words your children would use to describe you ?
Strong, independent and caring.
How would you describe your work and philosophy?
As Founder of Maarga Mind Care, and formerly co-founder of People Tree Hospitals, my work has focused on building health services across Bengaluru and Gurugram. My philosophy comes from both my professional journey and my personal experiences as a mother. I believe mental health is a right and that care must be accessible, stigma-free and integrated. Motherhood has made me more sensitive to the silent emotional load women, caregivers and families carry. It has strengthened my belief that healing must be human, holistic and rooted in dignity._
What does TheGlitzMegaSuperMom mean to you?
To me, MegaSuperMom is about rising every day with courage, embracing imperfections and still choosing to create impact. Motherhood makes you more focused, fearless and gives purpose to your life – to be the best model and mentor for your child. It teaches you that you can nurture a family, lead teams and still remain deeply human.
Rapid Fire with Dr. Jothi
• Coffee or calm morning tea?- Filter coffee
• Heels or sneakers? – Sneakers
• Boardroom or bedtime-story mode? – Boardroom now, bedtime-story mode before
• Planner or spontaneous? – Planner
• One word your children use for you?- Ma
• Mom guilt or mom power? – Mom power
• Secret superpower? – Empathy
