Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai has recorded 61,221 pledges to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through its CPR Pledge Movement, 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 prepared to respond in the period before professional medical help arrives. Navi Mumbai crossed the target, with people from across the city participating in the initiative.
More than 120 institutions, including schools, colleges, workplaces and community organisations, participated in the initiative. The participants included students, teachers, healthcare professionals, employees, families and community members. The initiative sought to encourage people to be prepared and proactive in responding to medical emergencies.
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 an 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, 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.”
More than 700,000 people are estimated to die from sudden cardiac arrest in India each year, while studies suggest that only 1.3 per cent – 9.8 per cent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests receive bystander CPR. In urban populations, only around 2 per cent-6.5 per cent 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 per cent.
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.
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.”
The initiative is based on the idea that hands can be used for caring, helping and protecting, and that knowledge and training can prepare people to respond when a life is at risk.