Call for saving lives

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Right after completing his education, Piyush Tewari’s rise to the corporate ladder was dramatic. Within a few years, the DU graduate built a successful career as the director and general manager of an international equity firm.

But it was an unfortunate incident that gave another course to his life.
After discovering that basic life support after a road accident might have saved his 17-year-old cousin’s life in 2007, Piyush pledged not to be a silent bystander. He founded the Save Life Foundation (SLF), NGO, that trains police officers and volunteers to provide rapid care for the thousands injured on the roads each year. Piyush was 24 then.
If the organisation wasn’t big then, the idea was huge. “I started out with some research on the number and causes of road accidents taking place in the capital, and was shocked by the fact and figures that came to light,” says Piyush. “There is no concept of rapid emergency care, bleeding control or CPR here. The police van often acts as an ambulance. And bystanders hesitate to rush the victim to hospital because of the fear of police harassment,” he explains.
SLF combines community volunteering with healthcare, law enforcement and technology and facilitates immediate care to road accident victims.
“We have to understand the root cause of a problem. Why would a person not come forward and help an accident victim? We have tried to explain this to the authorities, and thankfully the process has become easier. Now, if one rushes an accident victim to the hospital, he would not need to furnish his details there. He doesn’t even have to give his name, and can simply write it as an onlooker,” says Piyush, who has been working closely with the Delhi Police, AIIMS Trauma Centre and Apollo Hospital.
Till date, SLF has trained 1,400 police personnel and hundreds of community volunteers in basic life-saving skills. “We are trying to help police institutionalise our program in the Police Training College so that all the officers joining the force have the skill of managing road accident victims. We also plan to launch a volunteer paramedic network in Delhi to enable quick response to road accident victims even before the PCR van or an ambulance arrives. We have already received 1,600 applications from community volunteers for training,” he says.
“We are also asking for certain amendments in various laws, along with making strict rules for generating licenses,” says Piyush, who was chosen as 2010 Rolex Young Laureate.
“I managed to work for the cause along with my job. Infact, my job was a must for me as I was funding the organisation with my salary. And only after the SLF grew, we started getting funds and partnerships,” says Piyush, who quit his job to become full-time CEO of SLF last year.
Coming from a modest background, Piyush had to struggle a lot to get things done for SLF. But he is glad that he has been able to create a model organisation. “I know that the country is so vast, and one SLF won’t suffice, but the idea was to create an inspiration for others,” he adds.