Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai Sets Guinness World Record with 61,221 CPR Learning Pledges
Mumbai, Sept 28 (TNT): Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai on Monday said it has secured a Guinness World Records title after mobilising 61,221 people to pledge to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a month-long campaign, exceeding its target of 50,000 participants and highlighting the hospital network’s push to expand community-based emergency preparedness.
The campaign, conducted from July 8 to August 7, 2026, brought together more than 120 institutions, including schools, colleges, workplaces and community organisations, the Hospitals said in a release.
Students, teachers, healthcare professionals, employees and residents participated in the initiative.
Guinness World Records officially recognised Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai for the “Most pledges received to learn CPR in one month” at an event attended by Dr Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, and actor Karisma Kapoor.
The initiative forms part of Apollo Hospitals’ broader “My Hands Are Ready” movement, which aims to encourage people across India to acquire basic CPR skills and respond to cardiac emergencies before professional medical assistance arrives.
Dr Preetha Reddy said the participation reflected the community’s commitment to learning a life-saving skill and would support efforts to extend the movement to more people across the country.
Arunesh Punetha, Regional CEO – Western Region, Apollo Hospitals, said the hospital intended to take the initiative beyond Navi Mumbai and encourage more people to learn CPR and respond confidently during emergencies.
Dr Nitin Jagasia, Regional Director – Emergency, Western Region, Apollo Hospitals, said bystanders were often the first to encounter a person experiencing a cardiac emergency, making early recognition and CPR critical while medical assistance was on the way.
The campaign comes amid concerns over low bystander CPR rates in India.
Estimates cited by the hospital indicate that more than 700,000 people die from sudden cardiac arrest in the country each year.
Studies suggest that only 1.3% to 9.8% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases receive bystander CPR, while survival to hospital discharge remains below 2% to 3%.
Apollo Hospitals operates an integrated healthcare network comprising more than 10,400 beds across 76 hospitals, along with pharmacies, clinics, diagnostic centres and telemedicine facilities.
The CPR initiative adds a community preparedness component to the group’s broader healthcare operations.
The hospital said the movement would seek to translate public willingness to help into practical knowledge and readiness to respond during medical emergencies.
TNT KM
