Dr. Tarlochan Singh Kler

Dr. Tarlochan Singh Kler is the Chairman of the Fortis Heart and Vascular Institute at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI), Gurugram. With over four decades of experience in cardiology, he is one of India's most distinguished cardiologists and a recipient of the Padma Bhushan — one of India's highest civilian honours. Dr. Kler is a pioneer in cardiac electrophysiology and pacemaker implantation in India, having introduced and developed these technologies at a time when they were barely established in the country. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK) and the American College of Cardiology, and a founding member of multiple Indian cardiology societies. His clinical and academic contributions have fundamentally shaped the practice of interventional cardiology and electrophysiology across South Asia.

Dr. Kler completed his MBBS at Medical College, Patiala, followed by his MD (Medicine) and DM (Cardiology) at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI), Chandigarh — one of India's foremost medical institutions. He obtained the MRCP and subsequently the FRCP from the Royal College of Physicians, United Kingdom, reflecting internationally recognised clinical excellence. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC). He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science (D.Sc) by Punjab University in recognition of his lifetime contributions to medicine. His dual fellowship status — FRCP (UK) and FACC (USA) — places him among an elite group of Indian cardiologists recognised by both British and American academic bodies.

Dr. Kler's expertise encompasses interventional cardiology, cardiac electrophysiology, and pacemaker and device implantation. He pioneered pacemaker implantation in India and has performed thousands of device implantations including single and dual-chamber pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) devices, and electrophysiology studies for arrhythmia diagnosis and ablation. In interventional cardiology, he performs coronary angiography, complex coronary angioplasty, coronary stenting, and management of acute myocardial infarction. He has extensive experience in the management of complex cardiac arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and heart block requiring device therapy. He leads Fortis Heart and Vascular Institute's multidisciplinary heart team. He has trained numerous cardiologists in pacing and electrophysiology techniques, shaping the discipline across South Asia.

Dr. Kler has been awarded the Padma Bhushan — one of India's highest civilian honours — by the Government of India for distinguished service in medicine and cardiology. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK), a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (USA), and holds an Honorary D.Sc from Punjab University. He is a founding member of multiple Indian cardiology societies, including the Indian Heart Rhythm Society, and has been a founding contributor to electrophysiology and pacing standards in India. He was awarded lifetime achievement honours by the Cardiological Society of India for his pioneering role in introducing and developing cardiac pacing in India.

Dr. Kler regularly treats international patients at Fortis Memorial Research Institute. The hospital has a dedicated international patient department that assists with medical visas, airport transfers, language interpretation, and accommodation arrangements. Patients from the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Central Asia regularly seek his expertise for complex cardiac conditions including advanced heart failure requiring device therapy, complex arrhythmias, and multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Fortis FMRI provides English-language medical reports and pre-arrival video consultations for international patients wishing to review their cardiac investigations and discuss treatment options before travelling to India. The hospital provides English-language reports, pre-arrival video consultations, and complete coordination for international cardiac patients including post-discharge telemedicine follow-up.