About
Dr. Shelly Kakar is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician and the founding doctor at Jiva Direct Primary Care in Zionsville, Indiana. Before launching Jiva, she spent a decade as a hospital physician on the front lines of acute and complex medical care. She also served in academic medicine, mentoring residents, leading clinical teams, and helping train the next generation of physicians.
Dr. Kakar is fluent in English, Punjabi, and Hindi. Her clinical interests include preventive medicine, chronic disease management, hormone evaluation and replacement, perimenopause and menopause care, medically assisted weight loss, and longevity medicine. She holds a particular focus on midlife health, especially for women navigating transitions that often go unaddressed in conventional care. Outside the clinic, she cheers at her kids' baseball and soccer games, works out at Burn Boot Camp Zionsville, and travels with her husband to explore new cuisines and cultures. Her philosophy is direct: listen first, treat the whole person, and build relationships that last beyond any single appointment.
Education & Training
Additional Training
Osteopathic medical training (D.O.); career background in hospital medicine and academic medicine
Certifications
Languages
English, Punjabi, Hindi
Conditions Treated
Who is Dr. Kakar right for?
Dr. Kakar is a strong fit for adults who want a physician invested in their long-term health, not just their immediate complaints. Patients managing chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or hormonal imbalances benefit from her ongoing, relationship-centered approach. Women navigating perimenopause or menopause will find focused, thoughtful care here. She also works well with patients pursuing weight loss, longevity planning, or a more proactive strategy for staying healthy. Her fluency in Punjabi and Hindi makes her an excellent fit for patients who prefer care in those languages.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Kakar treats a broad range of adult conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, hormonal imbalances, and obesity. She also manages perimenopause and menopause, supports medically assisted weight loss, and focuses on preventive and longevity medicine. Her internal medicine background gives her a strong foundation for managing complex and overlapping conditions.
Yes. Dr. Kakar holds board certification in Internal Medicine. She trained as a D.O., which informs her whole-person approach to care.
Dr. Kakar is fluent in English, Punjabi, and Hindi. She finds that understanding a patient's cultural background plays a meaningful role in their health and care.
Dr. Kakar's approach centers on listening first and treating the whole person. She emphasizes shared decision-making and builds individualized care plans based on each patient's goals and lifestyle. Her focus is proactive care, staying ahead of problems rather than reacting to them after they develop.
Dr. Kakar spent years in hospital medicine watching patients arrive with advanced, preventable illness. That experience reinforced her belief that strong primary care changes lives. She chose the DPC model because it gives her the time and direct access to practice medicine the way she describes it: the way she would want it for the people she loves.
Yes. Earlier in her career, Dr. Kakar served in academic medicine, mentoring future physicians and leading clinical teams. Those years deepened her commitment to evidence-based, thoughtful care with patients always at the center.
Dr. Kakar takes symptoms of hormonal change seriously and builds individualized plans around them. She offers hormone evaluation and replacement therapy, perimenopause care, and menopause management. Her goal is to help patients feel steady and well during transitions that often receive insufficient attention in conventional primary care.
Yes. Dr. Kakar offers both medically assisted weight loss and longevity medicine as part of her membership services. She approaches these areas with the same evidence-based, whole-person framework she applies to all her care. Both are included in the standard Jiva membership.
Doctor profile last updated November 1, 2026