SPARSH Hospitals Advances Heart Health Awareness Through Community Initiatives

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 6: On the occasion of World Heart Day, SPARSH Hospitals took its heart-health awareness efforts beyond the hospital and into Bengaluru’s public spaces through three community-focused initiatives – the ‘HORN DONT MAADI’ campaign, ‘SPARSH Hrudaya Ratha – Heart Screening on Wheels’ and ‘SPARSH Heart in Motion – Pedal for a Healthier Tomorrow’ Cyclothon. Together, the initiatives aimed to encourage healthier everyday choices, promote active lifestyles, create greater awareness around cardiovascular health and make preventive cardiac care more accessible to communities.

The ‘HORN DONT MAADI’ campaign took the conversation around cardiovascular health into everyday urban life by promoting responsible horn use and creating awareness about the impact of stress and noise exposure on overall well-being. As part of the campaign, SPARSH Hospitals conducted awareness activities across 15 major traffic signals in Bengaluru, in coordination with the Traffic Police. Nursing students from SPARSH Hospital units engaged with commuters through awareness placards carrying the message ‘HORN DONT MAADI’, encouraging motorists to use their horns only when necessary. 150 student volunteers also distributed awareness flyers, stickers and helmet stickers, extending the message beyond the traffic signals and into the daily lives of citizens. 

To further amplify the campaign’s reach, a city-wide roadshow was conducted across Bengaluru, covering over 80 kilometres with a fleet of more than 15 vehicles, including two fully wrapped campaign cabs prominently displaying the ‘HORN DONT MAADI’ message. The roadshow traversed key city routes, taking the message directly to thousands of commuters and reinforcing the importance of reducing unnecessary honking and the need to create a less stressful urban environment.

Extending beyond the on-ground activations, the ‘HORN DONT MAADI’ initiative is being carried forward as a month-long awareness movement across the city. More than 1,000 cabs and 2,500 autos carrying the campaign message are travelling across different parts of Bengaluru, ensuring sustained visibility and public engagement.

All activities were conducted in a disciplined manner, ensuring that traffic movement was not disrupted or commuters inconvenienced.“Heart health is influenced not just by medical care, but also by our everyday choices and the environment around us. Through ‘HORN DONT MAADI’, we aim to encourage responsible horn use and greater awareness of how noise and stress can impact well-being. It is our effort to take the conversation around heart health beyond hospitals and into everyday life,” said Dr. (Prof) Ranjan Shetty, Lead Consultant – Cardiologist & Medical Director.

Complementing this awareness initiative, SPARSH Hospital Yelahanka hosted the ‘SPARSH Heart in Motion – Pedal for a Healthier Tomorrow’ Cyclothon, bringing together more than 300 cycling enthusiasts, healthcare professionals, community members, volunteers and SPARSH employees. The 13-km cycling route through Yelahanka was supported by volunteer marshals, hydration points and ambulance assistance throughout the route. The cyclothon was flagged off by S. R. Vishwanath, MLA – Yelahanka, and Vijay Hadagali, ACP, Yelahanka Sub-Division, in the presence of SPARSH leadership, medical professionals and community representatives. The event featured a Zumba warm-up, expert interaction on preventive heart health, a live flash mob and a medal ceremony celebrating the participating cyclists.

“Heart health is built through the choices we make every day, and staying physically active is one of the simplest ways to care for our hearts. Through ‘SPARSH Heart in Motion’, we aim to encourage people to embrace active lifestyles and make preventive heart health a part of everyday life. More importantly, the initiative brings the community together around a positive and healthy way of living,” said Abhishek Thomas, Cluster COO–Yelahanka & Sarjapur Road.

Taking this commitment a step further, SPARSH Hospital, RR Nagar, launched SPARSH Hrudaya Ratha – Heart Screening on Wheels, a 60-day community outreach initiative designed to bring free cardiac screening and consultation closer to communities across Bidadi, Ramanagara and Channapatna. Launched on World Heart Day 2026, the initiative aims to screen 6,000+ people, including 3,000+ adults and 3,000+ children below 10 years, through PHCs, corporate programmes, neighbourhood and rural outreach. The programme includes free ECG, echocardiogram and cardiac consultation, with a special focus on early identification of cardiac conditions in children.

“Healthcare should reach people where they are and be available when they need it most. At SPARSH Hospitals, our commitment has always been to extend quality care beyond our hospital walls and into the communities we serve. Hrudaya Ratha brings this vision to life by working towards a future where access to timely cardiac care is not determined by where a person lives or their circumstances”, added Dr. Sandeep R. M., COO, SPARSH Hospital, RR Nagar.

Together, these initiatives reinforced SPARSH Hospitals’ belief that building a heart-healthy community goes beyond clinical care. By encouraging responsible choices, active lifestyles and greater awareness in everyday settings, SPARSH aimed to make heart health a shared community priority and inspire small, meaningful changes that can contribute to a healthier Bengaluru.

About SPARSH Hospitals

SPARSH Group of Hospitals is one of Karnataka’s leading multispecialty healthcare providers, delivering advanced, technology-enabled care with a strong focus on clinical excellence, innovation, and ethical medical practice. With a network of 8 hospitals, over 1,600 beds, 600+ consultants, and 3,400+ employees, SPARSH offers comprehensive care across 50+ specialties. Having touched over 1.5 million lives and serving patients from more than 14 countries, SPARSH Hospital continues to set benchmarks in patient outcomes while making world-class healthcare accessible across Karnataka and beyond.