Pune Ganeshotsav 2026: Sanjeevani CPR Initiative Trains 1,500+ Dhol-Tasha Vadaks Ahead of Pune Ganeshotsav Visarjan
Reported by Shoaib Tadvi & Rishi sahu
Pune, 21st September 2026: With thousands of citizens expected to take to Pune’s streets during Ganeshotsav Visarjan, the AADAR Foundation has expanded its Sanjeevani CPR Training Initiative to strengthen emergency response capabilities during large public gatherings.
Organised by AADAR Foundation (Reg. No. MAH/737/2025) with the assistance of the Pune Police, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and Indian Medical Association (IMA), Pune, the initiative has trained more than 1,500 Dhol-Tasha vadaks and over 75 medical volunteers in CPR and emergency response during 2026.
The initiative was born from an incident witnessed during the Ganesh festival in 2024, when AADAR Foundation Founder-President and Tasha musician Swanand Patil saw a citizen collapse on Kumthekar Road. With no trained responder immediately available, Patil performed CPR on the person and was able to help save the individual’s life.
The incident highlighted the importance of having trained first responders at crowded public celebrations, particularly during processions where large numbers of people gather in confined areas.
Speaking about the incident and the idea behind Sanjeevani, Swanand Patil, Founder-President of AADAR Foundation, said, “The incident on Kumthekar Road made us realise that during a medical emergency, the first few minutes can be extremely important. A trained person who knows CPR and basic emergency response can provide immediate assistance before professional medical help arrives. Sanjeevani was started with the aim of creating a network of trained citizens who can respond during such critical moments.”
From One Incident to a City-Wide Initiative
Following the 2024 incident, AADAR Foundation launched the Sanjeevani initiative in 2025 with a focus on training people who are actively present during major public celebrations.
On August 3, 2025, more than 75 medical students were trained under the initiative. This was followed by a larger CPR training programme on August 24, 2025, during which more than 250 Dhol-Tasha vadaks from over 15 pathaks received training.
During the 2025 Ganeshotsav Visarjan, trained volunteers were deployed at important locations including Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road and Tilak Road.
The teams responded to more than 15 emergencies, with two patients requiring further medical treatment and being shifted to hospitals.
Sanjeevani Expands in 2026
The initiative was scaled up significantly in 2026.
On August 15, 2026, AADAR Foundation conducted the first phase of its training programme in collaboration with IMA Pune. The Training of Trainers programme focused on medical students, preparing them to subsequently support CPR and emergency-response training.
The second phase focused on Dhol-Tasha performers, who are among the people who remain on the streets for extended periods during Ganeshotsav processions.
More than 1,500 Dhol-Tasha vadaks from various pathaks across Pune were trained in CPR and basic emergency response.
The initiative also extended to the police force. More than 50 Pune Police officers were trained at Faraskhana and Vishrambaug police chowkis ahead of Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav. The training was also reported by Sakal on September 1.
According to AADAR Foundation, the 2026 training programme has so far resulted in more than 1,500 Dhol-Tasha vadaks and over 75 medical volunteers receiving training.
Medical Response During Dahi Handi
The Sanjeevani network was also deployed during Dahi Handi 2026, with medical teams stationed at five strategic locations:
– Jijamata Chowk
– Belbaug Chowk
– Budhwar Chowk
– Mandai Police Station
– Durwankur Hotel on Tilak Road
The teams attended to more than 15 emergencies, including cases of syncope, severe dehydration, seizures, head injuries and spinal injuries.
Three patients were shifted to hospitals for advanced medical treatment.
The experience demonstrated the importance of having trained medical responders positioned close to large gatherings, where sudden health emergencies can occur amid heat, physical exertion, long hours of standing and dense crowds.
100+ Volunteers to Be Deployed for Visarjan
For Ganeshotsav 2026 Visarjan Day on September 25, AADAR Foundation plans to further expand its emergency-response network.
More than 100 medical volunteers are expected to be stationed across 10 locations along Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road and Tilak Road.
The volunteers will be equipped with medical kits and will provide on-the-spot emergency assistance to citizens during the Visarjan processions.
The deployment is intended to create a first-response network that can provide immediate assistance while coordinating with professional medical services and authorities when hospitalisation or advanced treatment is required.
Patil said the initiative is ultimately aimed at ensuring that trained help is available close to people during major public gatherings.
“Through Sanjeevani, our objective is not only to teach CPR but to build confidence among ordinary citizens and volunteers so that they know what to do when someone suddenly collapses or suffers a medical emergency. We want every major gathering to have people who are trained to take those crucial first steps until professional medical assistance reaches the spot,” he said.
The initiative also seeks to make CPR awareness part of Pune’s festival culture by training groups that are directly involved in public celebrations.
From a single emergency witnessed on Kumthekar Road in 2024 to the training of more than 1,500 Dhol-Tasha performers and the deployment of over 100 medical volunteers for the 2026 Visarjan, the Sanjeevani initiative has grown into a broader community-based emergency-response effort.
With Pune preparing for one of the busiest days of the Ganeshotsav celebrations, the organisers are now focusing on ensuring that trained responders are available at multiple points along the major Visarjan routes.
