Sanjay Gupta

Sanjay Gupta
Gupta in 2021
Sanjay Gupta
Born	23 10, 1969
Birthplace	Novi, Michigan, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Neurosurgeon, medical journalist, author
Employer	CNN, Emory University School of Medicine, Grady Memorial Hospital
Known for	Chief medical correspondent for CNN
Education	University of Michigan (B.S., M.D.)
Children	3
Awards	Multiple Emmy Awards
Website	[https://www.cnn.com/profiles/sanjay-gupta-profile Official site]

Sanjay Gupta (born October 23, 1969) is an American neurosurgeon, medical reporter, and author who has become one of the most recognizable figures in health journalism in the United States. He serves as the chief medical correspondent for CNN, a role in which he has covered major public health events ranging from Hurricane Katrina to the COVID-19 pandemic, earning multiple Emmy Awards for his reporting. In addition to his career in broadcast journalism, Gupta maintains an active medical practice as an associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, and holds a faculty appointment as an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Gupta has authored four books, including the New York Times bestsellers Chasing Life, Cheating Death, Monday Mornings: A Novel, and Keep Sharp, and hosts the CNN podcast Chasing Life. His ability to translate complex medical concepts for general audiences has made him a prominent voice in public health communication across multiple platforms over the course of more than two decades.

Early Life

Sanjay Gupta was born on October 23, 1969, in Novi, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. His parents are of Indian descent; his mother is Damyanti Gupta. His brother, Suneel Gupta, later became an author and entrepreneur. Growing up in the suburbs of Michigan, Gupta was exposed to the medical field and developed an early interest in science and medicine.

In a 2025 interview with NPR, Gupta recalled a formative childhood experience that shaped his understanding of the human body and pain. He described an incident at the age of twelve in which he impaled himself on a wrought iron fence, an event he characterized as a vivid early encounter with physical trauma that left a lasting impression on his thinking about medicine and the experience of pain.

Gupta was involved in South Asian American community organizations during his youth and college years. He was associated with the Indian American Student Association (IASA) during the 1990–1991 academic year.

Education

Gupta attended the University of Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and subsequently his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan Medical School. The University of Michigan's medical program provided Gupta with training in both clinical medicine and research. He later pursued his residency in neurosurgery, specializing in the surgical treatment of conditions of the brain and spine. His academic career at the University of Michigan laid the groundwork for his dual pursuits in clinical neurosurgery and medical journalism.

Career

Neurosurgery

Gupta has maintained an active career as a practicing neurosurgeon throughout his tenure as a media figure. He serves as an associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the largest public hospitals in the southeastern United States. He also holds an appointment as an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine, where he is involved in both clinical practice and academic work.

Gupta's clinical work has included surgical procedures on the brain and spine. His academic contributions include published research in peer-reviewed neurosurgical journals, including work published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.

His medical credentials have been recognized by major professional bodies. Gupta is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, both of which are among the most prominent honorary organizations in the sciences and medicine in the United States.

Military Medical Service

Gupta has served in medical capacities with the United States Navy. His involvement with the military has included deployments in which he provided medical expertise in operational settings. His service was documented by the Navy, reflecting his contributions to military medicine alongside his civilian medical and journalistic careers.

In 2006, during the Iraq War, Gupta served as an embedded correspondent and physician in Iraq, where he reported on the medical aspects of the conflict for CNN. His dual role as both a journalist covering the war and a practicing surgeon who could assist in emergency medical situations placed him in a distinctive position among war correspondents.

CNN and Broadcast Journalism

Gupta's role as chief medical correspondent for CNN has been the most publicly visible aspect of his career. In this position, he has served as the network's primary voice on medical and health-related news stories for over two decades. He hosted the CNN television program Sanjay Gupta MD, a weekly health-focused show for which he received multiple Emmy Awards. He also hosted the six-part miniseries Chasing Life, which explored health and wellness practices in various cultures around the world.

Gupta has been a frequent contributor to numerous CNN programs over the years, including American Morning, Larry King Live, CNN Tonight, and Anderson Cooper 360°. His television appearances have covered a broad spectrum of health-related topics, from breaking medical news to in-depth investigative reports on public health issues.

Hurricane Katrina Coverage

One of the defining moments of Gupta's journalism career came in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina. Gupta reported from Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he documented the dire conditions facing patients and medical staff in the aftermath of the devastating storm. His reporting from the hospital, which had been cut off from outside assistance, provided viewers with a firsthand account of the medical crisis unfolding in the flooded city. This coverage earned him a 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast.

Haiti Earthquake Coverage

Gupta also provided notable coverage of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, reporting from the disaster zone on the medical and humanitarian crisis that followed the catastrophic earthquake. His reporting included documentation of the struggles faced by Haitian citizens and the medical response to the disaster.

COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gupta became one of the most visible medical commentators in American media. He was a frequent contributor to numerous CNN programs covering the crisis and co-hosted a weekly town hall with Anderson Cooper dedicated to addressing public questions and concerns about the pandemic. His coverage focused on explaining the science behind the virus, the development and efficacy of vaccines, public health measures, and the broader impact of the pandemic on society.

Medical Marijuana Reporting

Gupta produced notable reporting on the subject of medical marijuana, which generated significant public attention and debate. His CNN special reports on the topic examined the medical evidence for and against the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes, including its application in the treatment of certain forms of epilepsy and chronic pain.

Controversy with Michael Moore

In 2007, Gupta was involved in a public dispute with filmmaker Michael Moore regarding Gupta's CNN fact-check of Moore's documentary Sicko, which examined the American healthcare system. Moore publicly challenged Gupta's analysis of the film's claims, and the exchange between the two was covered on CNN, including on The Situation Room. The incident drew media attention and sparked broader discussion about the intersection of journalism and advocacy in health policy coverage.

AI Deepfake Concerns

In July 2025, Gupta publicly addressed the growing problem of artificial intelligence being used to create fraudulent endorsements. He denounced the use of deepfake technology to generate fake advertisements using his likeness to sell bogus health products, stating "That's not me" in a CNN segment that highlighted the broader risks of AI-generated misinformation in the health space.

Podcast

Gupta hosts the CNN podcast Chasing Life, in which he explores a wide range of health and wellness topics. The podcast features interviews with experts and examines subjects including neuroscience, mental health, nutrition, and emerging medical research. Recent episodes have explored topics such as the potential medical applications of hibernation science for space travel and medicine.

Writing Career

Gupta has authored four books that address various aspects of health, medicine, and longevity:

• Chasing Life: New Discoveries in the Search for Immortality to Help You Age Less Today — an exploration of scientific research into aging and longevity.
• Cheating Death: The Doctors and Medical Miracles That Are Saving Lives Against All Odds — an examination of medical advances that have expanded the boundaries of survival.
• Monday Mornings: A Novel — a work of fiction set in a hospital, drawing on Gupta's medical experience. The novel was later adapted into a TNT television series of the same name.
• Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age (January 2021) — a book focused on brain health and strategies for maintaining cognitive function.

In addition to his books, Gupta published a column in Time magazine, further extending his role as a communicator of health information to the general public.

Speaking and Conference Engagements

Gupta co-hosts the health conference "Life Itself" alongside Marc Hodosh, who co-created TEDMED. The conference brings together leaders in healthcare, technology, and policy to discuss innovations and challenges in the field of health and medicine.

In December 2025, the American Psychiatric Association announced that Gupta would be the featured speaker at the opening session of its 2026 Annual Meeting, scheduled for May 16, 2026. The announcement noted his status as a practicing neurosurgeon, bestselling author, and Emmy Award–winning journalist. In previewing his appearance, a publication of the APA noted that Gupta would discuss storytelling and mental health in his plenary address.

Other Media Roles

Beyond his work at CNN, Gupta has served as a special correspondent for CBS News, contributing medical reporting to the network's programming.

Personal Life

Gupta resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is based for both his work at Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital and his CNN broadcasting duties. He has three children.

His brother, Suneel Gupta, is an author and public figure in his own right, known for his work on topics related to resilience and innovation.

In his 2025 book and related media appearances, Gupta has spoken about his personal experiences with pain and injury, including the childhood incident in which he was impaled on a wrought iron fence, which he has cited as formative in his understanding of the human experience of pain.

Recognition

Gupta has received numerous awards and honors over the course of his career in both medicine and journalism. He has won multiple Emmy Awards for his work at CNN, including the 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for his coverage of the medical crisis at Charity Hospital in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

His membership in the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences represents recognition from two of the most prominent honorary scientific and scholarly organizations in the United States.

Gupta has been invited to deliver keynote and plenary addresses at major professional conferences, including the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.

He has received recognition from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, where he delivered a commencement address.

Legacy

Gupta occupies a distinctive position in American public life as one of the few figures to maintain simultaneous careers as a practicing academic neurosurgeon and a prominent broadcast journalist. His career has spanned more than two decades at CNN, during which he has served as the network's primary interpreter of medical and health news for a general audience.

His coverage of major events — including Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq War, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and the COVID-19 pandemic — has placed him at the intersection of medicine and journalism during some of the most significant public health moments of the early 21st century. In each case, his dual expertise as both a physician and a reporter has allowed him to provide coverage that combines clinical knowledge with on-the-ground reporting.

Through his books, television appearances, podcast, and magazine writing, Gupta has contributed to the broader public understanding of topics including brain health, aging, pain management, and the ongoing debate over medical marijuana policy. His willingness to address the misuse of his image through AI deepfake technology in 2025 highlighted his engagement with emerging challenges in health misinformation in the digital age.

His continued involvement in both clinical neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital and Emory University, alongside his media work, reflects a career built on the integration of medical practice and public health communication.