The concept is part of the Blue India Movement, inspired by the world’s Blue Zones and their experience of healthier ageing. It proposes a broader approach to kidney health by addressing underlying risk factors, including insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and excessive sodium intake, before they contribute to more serious health conditions.
The Dr. Blue India Foundation, established by Dr. Murugesan in Puducherry in 2025, is translating this approach into community-level action through a Rs 30-crore philanthropic initiative to provide one lakh free insulin tests. The programme aims to identify metabolic risks among individuals who may not yet show obvious symptoms, bringing early detection into the wider effort to protect kidney health.
With more than five decades of medical service and over four decades of experience in nephrology, Dr. Murugesan has spent much of his career treating kidney disease. His current focus is on moving kidney care further upstream by identifying risks before disease develops, rather than concentrating primarily on treatment after its onset.
“We have traditionally asked how to treat kidney disease. The more important question is whether we can protect kidney health before disease develops,” said Dr. Murugesan.
For more than two decades, Dr. Murugesan has also worked on the health effects associated with excessive sodium intake and approaches to reducing sodium exposure. He views kidney health as an important indicator of wider metabolic and cardiovascular health, reinforcing the need to identify and address interconnected risks before they develop into serious conditions.
Through Blue Nephrology, the larger objective is to shift the focus of healthcare from treating diseases after they appear to identifying and addressing health risks much earlier. The approach combines an emphasis on prevention with community-level screening initiatives intended to identify metabolic risks among people who may not have visible symptoms.
Further information about the initiative is available at drblueindia.com and www.eastcoasthospitals.com.
Dr. N. Murugesan is a nephrologist from Puducherry who has spent nearly four decades working in nephrology, kidney transplantation and tertiary healthcare. His career has combined clinical practice with institution building and, more recently, public-health initiatives focused on the early detection and prevention of chronic diseases to support overall healthy longevity.
Dr. Murugesan completed his MBBS in 1977 and his MD in 1981. He subsequently became the first in South India to obtain a DNB in Nephrology in 1987. He trained in nephrology under Padma Vibhushan Dr. M. K. Mani in Chennai.
By placing early identification of metabolic and lifestyle risks at the centre of kidney care, Dr. Murugesan’s Blue Nephrology approach seeks to extend the focus of nephrology beyond disease management to prevention, with community screening forming a key part of the initiative.
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