Dr. Shilpa TN: From a Creative Young Mind to a Healthcare Entrepreneur with a Vision for Preventive Caref

A Childhood Built on Learning, Creativity and Determination

Nominated for the Abhaya Dasabhuja Award 2026, Dr. Shilpa TN, Managing Director of Health On Board, represents a journey shaped by curiosity, creativity, perseverance and entrepreneurial courage.

An introverted child who found confidence through learning, Shilpa excelled in crafts, drawing and painting, earning several school awards. Her interest in technology emerged early, and by the age of 12, she had become a certified graphic designer. She used these skills to contribute to her family’s printing press business, gaining an early understanding of enterprise and responsibility.

The women around her also became important influences, demonstrating how determination could help balance professional responsibilities with family life.

Blending Medical Education with Entrepreneurial Experience

While pursuing her medical education, Shilpa simultaneously worked with her friend’s startup, Findx Pro, handling sales operations alongside her studies. She also continued working as a freelance graphic designer, combining her creative abilities with practical business experience.

This blend of education, technology, creativity and entrepreneurship eventually laid the foundation for her own venture.

Building Health On Board Through Resilience

Five years ago, Shilpa founded Health On Board, initially establishing it as a pharmaceutical distribution company. The enterprise subsequently expanded into medicine manufacturing and has now extended its work to organising preventive health camps.

Her entrepreneurial journey unfolded alongside a deeply personal challenge: the loss of her mother in the same year she founded the company. Balancing business responsibilities and managing her home through such a difficult period demanded resilience and determination.

Today, Shilpa’s journey reflects the power of perseverance: a woman who transformed early creativity and learning into entrepreneurship, while steadily building a healthcare enterprise with a growing focus on preventive health.

Her story is ultimately about learning, adapting, creating and continuing forward, even when life presents its most difficult tests.