If you’re searching for a bariatric surgeon in Faridabad, here’s what actually matters

Most pages on this topic read the same way — a list of procedures, a stock photo, and a line about “world-class care.” We’re going to skip that. If you’re here, you’re probably not looking for reassurance, you’re looking for someone who has done this a lot of times, in this city, and can tell you honestly whether surgery is the right call for you.

Dr. Manu Shankar has been operating in Faridabad since before most of the current bariatric centres in the city existed. He’s currently the Clinical Director of Minimal Access and General Surgery at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Sector 16 — the hospital that most long-time Faridabad residents still remember as QRG Health City, and before that, Fortis Escorts. That continuity matters more than it sounds: he’s not a visiting consultant who flew in for a weekend OPD. He’s been at this address, treating this city, for over two decades.

A quick, honest look at his background

Dr. Shankar finished his MBBS from the University of Delhi in 1997, followed by an MS in General Surgery in 2001, also from Delhi University. He picked up a DNB in General Surgery the same year from the National Board of Examinations, and went on to complete a fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery in 2007. On paper, that’s a fairly standard surgical training path for someone of his generation — the part that stands out is what he did with it afterward.

He trained and worked at some genuinely well-regarded centres before settling in Faridabad, including Fortis Escorts Hospital & Research Centre and P.D. Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai. He’s often credited as the first MCI-registered Minimal Access (laparoscopic) surgeon to practise in Faridabad, and separately, as the first surgeon in India to use the PVP patch technique for umbilical and epigastric hernia repair — a hernia-specific innovation, but one that says something about how he approaches surgery generally: he’s willing to adopt a better technique early rather than default to what everyone else is doing.

“A lot of patients come to me after years of trying diets that worked for three months and then didn’t. My job isn’t to talk anyone into surgery — it’s to tell them plainly whether their body and their health numbers actually call for it, and if they do, to walk them through exactly what changes and what doesn’t.” — Dr. Manu Shankar

What he actually does in bariatric and metabolic surgery

Dr. Shankar’s bariatric practice sits inside a broader minimal access surgery practice, which is worth mentioning because it’s a genuine advantage — a surgeon who does hernia repairs, gallbladder surgery, and GERD/hiatus hernia correction week in and week out tends to have steadier hands and better judgment in the abdomen generally, not just in the specific bariatric procedures. The core weight-loss and metabolic procedures he performs include:

• Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy — the most commonly performed bariatric procedure at his practice, where roughly three-quarters of the stomach is removed laparoscopically to restrict food intake and reduce hunger-hormone production.
• Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass — recommended more often for patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes or significant acid reflux, since it changes both food intake and gut hormone signalling.
• Mini (One-Anastomosis) Gastric Bypass — a technically simpler variant of bypass surgery, done laparoscopically, for patients where a single connection is the better surgical option.
• Revision Bariatric Surgery — for patients who’ve had a previous weight-loss procedure elsewhere that didn’t work as expected, or who need a second surgery due to weight regain or complications. This is a harder category of surgery and not every bariatric surgeon takes these cases on.
• Laparoscopic management of GERD and hiatus hernia — frequently relevant for bariatric patients, since obesity and acid reflux often go hand in hand.

He also treats obesity-related conditions directly tied to surgical outcomes — type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea, PCOS, and fatty liver disease — as part of the same consultation, rather than sending patients elsewhere for a separate opinion on whether surgery will help those conditions specifically.

Why patients in Faridabad and the wider NCR pick him

A few reasons come up repeatedly when you look at how patients describe their experience with him: he explains things without rushing, he’s direct about risks rather than glossing over them, and post-operative follow-up is treated as part of the surgery, not an afterthought. For a procedure like bariatric surgery, where the real work — dietary discipline, follow-up visits, adjusting to a smaller stomach — happens after the operation, that follow-through matters as much as surgical skill.

There’s also the practical matter of experience volume. Twenty-seven years in minimal access and general surgery, most of it in the same city, means he’s seen the full range of what can go right and wrong with these procedures, including the harder revision cases that newer surgeons tend to refer out.

Who should actually consider bariatric surgery

This isn’t a decision to make lightly, and Dr. Shankar’s clinic doesn’t treat it that way either. As a general guide — not a substitute for an actual evaluation — bariatric surgery is usually considered for:

• Adults with a BMI of 40 or higher, regardless of other health conditions
• Adults with a BMI of 35 or higher who also have obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or obstructive sleep apnoea
• Patients who’ve made genuine, sustained attempts at diet and lifestyle changes without lasting results
• Patients who understand and are prepared for the long-term dietary and lifestyle adjustments surgery requires

A full evaluation before surgery typically includes blood work, an endoscopy in most cases, a cardiac and anaesthesia fitness check, and a session with a dietician — this is standard practice, and Dr. Shankar’s team runs through all of it before scheduling a date, rather than pushing patients toward surgery on the first visit.

What to expect if you book a consultation

The first visit is mostly conversation — your weight history, what you’ve already tried, your family history of diabetes or heart disease, and an honest look at whether surgery is likely to help in your specific case. If it looks like a reasonable option, he’ll order the standard pre-surgical workup and explain, procedure by procedure, which option fits your situation and why — rather than defaulting to whichever surgery is easiest to schedule.

Recovery timelines are fairly standard across sleeve and bypass procedures done laparoscopically: most patients are up and walking within a day of surgery, discharged within 2–3 days, and back to light daily activity within two to three weeks. The bigger adjustment is dietary — a structured progression from clear liquids to purees to soft foods over several weeks, which the clinic’s dietician manages alongside the surgical follow-up.

Where to find him

Dr. Manu Shankar practises at Marengo Asia Hospitals (formerly QRG Health City / Fortis Escorts Hospital), Sector 16, Faridabad, where he holds the position of Clinical Director, Minimal Access and General Surgery. Consultations generally run Monday to Saturday. Given how much of his schedule fills up with both bariatric and general surgical cases, it’s worth calling ahead to confirm slot availability rather than walking in.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dr. Manu Shankar a bariatric specialist or a general surgeon?

Both, in a sense that works in patients’ favour. He trained as a general and minimal access surgeon and built bariatric surgery into that practice over nearly three decades, rather than starting out as a bariatric-only surgeon. In practice, this means he brings the same laparoscopic precision to weight-loss surgery that he applies to complex hernia and gallbladder cases.

How many years of experience does he have?

He has been in surgical practice for over 27 years, with a significant portion of that time spent specifically in minimal access and bariatric surgery in Faridabad.

Does he handle revision bariatric surgery?

Yes — revision cases, where a patient has had a prior weight-loss surgery that didn’t achieve the expected results or needs correction, are part of his practice. These tend to be more technically demanding than first-time procedures.

What’s the difference between sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass?

Sleeve gastrectomy removes a large portion of the stomach to restrict intake and reduce hunger hormones, while gastric bypass reroutes part of the digestive tract to reduce both intake and calorie absorption. Bypass is often favoured for patients with significant diabetes or reflux; sleeve is more commonly recommended overall. Dr. Shankar makes this call case by case during consultation, not by default.

How do I book a consultation?

You can call the hospital’s OPD desk at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Sector 16, Faridabad, to check available slots, or use the hospital’s online appointment system if you prefer to book ahead.