$2 Million From Jivrajka Family Fuels Launch Of UCLA South Asian Heart Program

Photo: Physicians Asim Rafique, Olcay Aksoy, Justin Slade, Priscilla Hsue, Jayashree Jivrajka, Vinod Jivrajka, Hemali and Ravi Dave.

India-West Staff Reporter

LOS ANGELES, CA – In a major step toward addressing health disparities among South Asians, the UCLA Health South Asian Heart Program has been launched with support from a $2 million gift from the Jivrajka Family Foundation.

The donation establishes the Jivrajka Family Foundation Chair in the Division of Cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, creating a lasting platform for specialized research, education, and community-based care.

The new program is designed to confront pressing questions in cardiovascular medicine with a focus on prevention—particularly for South Asians, who face heart disease risks at younger ages and higher rates than many other groups.

“It gives us great pride to be able to support UCLA’s mission of research, education, and public service,” said Dr. Vinod Jivrajka, president of the Jivrajka Family Foundation. “We are grateful to Dr. Dave and his team for their dedication and ability to bring access and improve care for South Asian populations and others at excessive risk.”

At the helm of the new program is Dr. Ravi H. Dave, director of interventional cardiology at UCLA Health who will lead a team that will design and deliver cardiovascular health programs tailored to the unique needs of the South Asian population.

“I am deeply grateful to the Jivrajka family for the trust they’ve placed in UCLA Health,” Dr. Dave said. “Their generosity and vision to improve the cardiovascular health of the South Asian community allows us to enhance our efforts to deliver care where it is most needed.”

The endowed chair will support a UCLA faculty member with board certification in interventional cardiology and experience leading community-focused cardiology initiatives. The goal is to improve access to care and develop culturally informed strategies to reach high-risk communities more effectively.

The initiative comes at a critical time: individuals of South Asian descent are more likely to develop risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol earlier in life—and are estimated to face heart disease up to a decade sooner than other groups. Globally, South Asians account for over half of cardiovascular deaths.

The Jivrajka Family Foundation, founded in 2024 by Drs. Jayashree and Vinod Jivrajka, reflects a lifelong commitment to medicine and service. Both born and educated in Mumbai, the couple pursued medical careers before moving to the U.S.

Vinod, an interventional cardiologist and healthcare entrepreneur, founded Episource, LLC and co-founded AppleCare Medical Group, which he led for two decades. Jayashree, also a physician, shares the family’s passion for improving access to care.

The Jivrajkas are closely connected to UCLA, where all three of their children pursued higher education. Amita (Ramesh) graduated in 2001; Neil, in 2011; and Renu, who completed her fellowship in glaucoma at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute in 2014.