Smriti Tandon I Co-founder, Online Chikitsa Mitra
Smriti Tandon, Co-founder of Online Chikitsa Mitra, is on a mission to reshape rural healthcare in India — and women are at the center of this transformation. With a background in Business and Legal Studies from Liverpool University and training in Negotiations from the London School of Economics, Smriti’s journey into the health-tech space was far from conventional.
Her entrepreneurial roots trace back to the automotive industry, where she led one of North India’s most successful Maruti Suzuki dealerships. Breaking stereotypes, she integrated women into core technical roles, carving space for inclusivity in a male-dominated industry. That same drive to challenge norms laid the foundation for her transition into rural health-tech.
In 2022, she joined forces with her brother to scale Online Chikitsa Mitra, a platform built to tackle the healthcare vacuum in rural India. The need was urgent, and the motivation, deeply personal. Smriti witnessed first-hand how women in rural areas struggled with access to care, often due to societal restrictions or financial dependency. This experience catalyzed her focus on FemTech.
‘’FemTech isn’t just a vertical — it’s a voice. It gives women the privacy, autonomy, and respect they’ve long been denied in healthcare.”
Through Online Chikitsa Mitra, over 550+ e-clinics have been established across rural India, delivering more than 120,000 consultations. These aren’t just numbers; they represent lives impacted, barriers broken, and a grassroots movement fueled by community participation — particularly women, who now serve as health ambassadors and clinic operators.
“Watching women not only seek care but lead care delivery in their communities has been one of the most powerful outcomes of our work.”
But building trust in digital healthcare, especially among women, hasn’t come easy. Smriti and her team have had to overcome significant cultural taboos, infrastructure gaps, and digital illiteracy. Yet, each challenge has only strengthened their resolve.
“Every barrier we face is also a blueprint for innovation. When we design for real-world complexity, we build real-world solutions.”
Looking forward, Smriti is steering Online Chikitsa Mitra toward a tech-enabled future — from mobile apps for health record access to AI-powered doctor tools, and from menstrual health services to community-driven maternal care initiatives. One major area of focus: training female health facilitators who can act as the first line of defense in rural healthcare.
“Healthcare should be empowering universally. I want women in rural India to feel seen, heard, and cared for — not as an afterthought, but as the priority.”
Recognized as one of Economic Times’ Young Industry Leaders of 2024, Smriti remains grounded in her mission: to make FemTech a cornerstone of mainstream healthcare — not a niche. As she continues building bridges between technology, care, and community, her story stands as a powerful reminder that when women rise, entire communities thrive.
If you’re a trailblazer in women’s health or FemTech, we’d love to hear your story! Share your journey and insights with us at info@femtechindia.com. Together, let’s amplify the voices driving positive change.
