Prof. Habib Patel was born in 1912 in India. He was an outstanding student at the Grant Medical College, Bombay and was appointed to the faculty in 1941. He was invited by the Government of Sindh in 1947 to come over to Pakistan which he did and joined Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital Karachi as Professor in  the Surgical Unit II.
Largely due to his efforts the Government of Pakistan gifted 64 acres of land in 1966 for a project that ultimately evolved into what is now Aga Khan University Hospital complex. A year later he was appointed President of Aga Khan Hospital Medical College Foundation a position he held till he passed away on September 26 2004 at age 92 years. He was founding fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan. He served 5 terms as President of Pakistan Medical Association and was Consulting Surgeon to the Pakistan Navy where he held the rank of Honorary Surgeon Commander.  He was the driving force behind the extension of Janbai Maternity Home in Kharadar.