The campaign reaches students, teachers and staff across 120 institutions, advancing CPR awareness and emergency preparedness ahead of World Heart Day 2026, themed “United for Every Heartbeat.”
Mumbai, 28 September 2026: ‘Is Navi Mumbai ready to save a life.’ This was the question that set the CPR Pledge Movement in motion by Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai.
Conducted from 8 July to 7 August 2026, the movement set out to mobilise 50,000 people to pledge that they would learn CPR and be better prepared to respond in the critical moments before professional medical help arrives. Navi Mumbai not only crossed the target but brought together people from across the city in a collective commitment to being prepared.
More than 120 institutions, including schools, colleges, workplaces and community organisations, participated in the initiative, bringing together students, teachers, healthcare professionals, employees, families and community members. This initiative sought to encourage people to become more prepared and proactive in responding to medical emergencies. Over the course of the campaign, 61,221 people pledged to learn CPR, turning a simple call to action into a widespread community movement.
The month-long movement culminated with GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ officially recognising Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai as the record-holder for ‘Most pledges received to learn CPR in one month’, at a special event held in the presence of Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited and actor Karisma Kapoor.
Dr Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, said,
“For ten years, Navi Mumbai has honoured us with its trust. Today, more than 61,000 people have pledged to learn CPR, reminding us of the extraordinary power of a community united by a shared purpose. This is the inspiration behind ‘My Hands Are Ready’, a movement that seeks to place life-saving knowledge into the hands of ordinary citizens across India. There can be no greater way to honour the trust Navi Mumbai has placed in our hands than to empower millions more hands to be ready to help save a life.”
The scale of the campaign responds to a significant CPR knowledge-and-action gap in India. More than 700,000 people are estimated to die from sudden cardiac arrest in the country each year, while studies suggest that only 1.3%-9.8% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests receive bystander CPR. In urban populations, only around 2%-6.5% of laypeople have been reported to be able to perform CPR, and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival to hospital discharge remains below 2%-3%. These figures underline the importance of equipping ordinary citizens to act before professional help arrives. Through “My Hands Are Ready”, Apollo Hospitals is helping turn willingness to help into the confidence and preparedness to take the right action when it matters most.
Mr Arunesh Punetha, Regional CEO- Western Region, Apollo Hospitals, said,
“We want to take the message beyond Navi Mumbai and encourage people across India to learn CPR and feel prepared to respond when a life may depend on those standing closest. This movement is about giving ordinary people the courage to step forward for another life. That is what makes it more than a campaign. It is a commitment to society, to every life, every family and every one of us. Through ‘My Hands Are Ready’, it is a promise we make to each other. And it is a promise we make to India.”
Dr Nitin Jagasia, Regional Director – Emergency, Western Region, Apollo Hospitals, said,
“When someone suffers a cardiac emergency (their heart stops), the first person at the scene is often not a healthcare professional but a family member, colleague, friend or passer-by. The ability to recognise this and initiate CPR can make all the difference while professional help is on its way. This movement by Apollo is to encourage thousands of people to take the first step towards acquiring this essential basic skill. Every person who learns CPR becomes better equipped to respond during those crucial early moments.”
At its heart is a simple idea: our hands are already capable of caring, helping and protecting. With the right knowledge and training, they can also be ready to respond when a life is at risk.
