Today, we bring you the ‘heartwarming’ story of Subhansh, a cardiac technology diploma student at the SMART Academy for Healthcare, Mohali. Set up by the Tech Mahindra Foundation (TMF), SMART Academies are vocational training institutes that aim to make students future-ready in the fields of healthcare, digital technology, logistics, and more.
It was just another day until it was not. Subhansh was deeply engrossed in his online class at the Academy when his focus broke, thanks to the screams of panic in the neighborhood. Naturally curious, he stepped out to check, only to see a huge crowd gathered nearby. Wading through the sea of nervous people, Subhansh saw a middle-aged man lying unconscious on the road.
Now, one can believe that the will to help is inherent in everyone. It’s the skill that most lack. This causes panic, chaos, and uncertainty. In this case, for instance, it reflected in the form of people screaming, getting restless, taking fatal actions like trying to give the man food and water, which could further make matters worse, and so on.
A bright student in his trade, Subhansh wasted no time checking the man’s pulse. He remembered what he had learned at the Academy and immediately understood that it was a heart attack. At the same time, the first-year student also realized that this was exactly the kind of emergency that he was training for. He was in the business of saving lives, and this was his moment.
One of the youngest members of that gathering, Subhansh, swiftly took the lead. With people’s support, he laid the man on a flat, ventilated surface and started giving him chest compressions. Many people watched in disbelief, others in shock, and still some in wonder. Some tried to stop him, some murmured. However, Subhansh had a plan, backed by his knowledge, training, and experience at the Academy. He didn’t stop. At the same time, he signaled someone to call an ambulance. In no time, the man was on his way to a hospital.
“We could revive him only because of the CPR that Subhansh performed in time,” said the doctor who attended to the man at the hospital. Upon hearing this, Subhansh almost broke into tears. He missed his session that day, but he learned an important lesson: “This incident made me realize the responsibility I carry on my shoulders as a healthcare worker. At the same time, I understood the value of knowing basic first aid, not just as a professional but as a layman, too”.
Tech Mahindra Foundation shared this story on World Restart a Heart Day. The Tech Mahindra SMART Academy for Healthcare trains young people to save and prolong lives (and support India’s working generation in myriad other ways), and Subhansh’s story is just one of the 100,000 stories of success that we’ve written so far.
To learn more about the Foundation and its work, visit techmahindrafoundation.org