New
Delhi : In a country where cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than any
other cause — accounting for nearly one in every four deaths — a young doctor
decided that the fight against heart disease must begin not in catheterization
labs, but in communities, classrooms, and conversations. One year ago, Dr.
Amanpreet Singh Wasir, MBBS founded the Hridayamrit
Foundation, and today, it stands as
India’s first and largest youth-led organization dedicated to cardiovascular
health literacy and prevention.
India
is in the grip of a non-communicable disease epidemic. Cardiovascular diseases
account for an estimated 28% of all deaths in India, with the burden falling
disproportionately on younger populations and underserved communities. South
Asians carry a genetically elevated risk of heart disease, developing it a
decade earlier than global averages. Yet, awareness remains alarmingly low —
millions do not know their blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol levels.
Everyone knows that prevention is better than cure — but what is often
forgotten is that prevention is also cheaper, easier, and far more impactful
than cure. In a country battling an epidemic of lifestyle diseases, prevention
must not remain an afterthought.
Dr.
Wasir recalls a defining moment: “I had just ten minutes to counsel a
patient with hypertension in a busy outpatient clinic. Later, she searched
online—but found only Western data, complex language, and nothing reflecting
her South Asian reality. That’s when it struck me: despite being a high-risk
group, we still lack a platform tailored to our language, lifestyle, and risk.
If we can’t explain heart disease in a way our people understand, we’ve already
failed them.”
It
was this gap that the Hridayamrit Foundation was born to address. Registered as
a Section 8 not-for-profit company in March 2025, the Foundation draws its name
from Sanskrit — ‘Hriday’ meaning heart, and ‘Amrit’ meaning nectar of knowledge
and empowerment. India has numerous cardiac care organizations, but none led by
young medical professionals with a singular focus on preventive cardiology,
patient education, and public health literacy. Hridayamrit is the
first-of-its-kind youth-led preventive cardiology organization that puts health
education in the hands of the people who need it most, in the language they
actually understand.
In
just twelve months, the Foundation’s impact has been remarkable.
Community-based cardiovascular screening and health literacy initiatives have
reached over 3,000 individuals across diverse settings. Flagship initiatives
span risk factor screening, health literacy programs, emergency preparedness,
and youth leadership. More than 500 young volunteers have been mobilized,
collectively conducting over 20 hybrid activities nationwide. The Foundation’s
Medical School Campus Ambassador program spans over 100 medical colleges across
India, making it the country’s most extensive student-driven cardiovascular
health network in preventive cardiology. Operations now extend across 20+
states and union territories, supported by more than 20 leading cardiovascular
advisors and over 40 national and international partnerships.
Members
of the Hridayamrit Foundation’s leadership team during a virtual strategy
meeting, representing young medical professionals and public health advocates
from across India driving the Foundation’s mission.
As
the Hridayamrit Foundation enters its second year, it is preparing to launch
its Flagship National Mission—a strategically designed, phased rollout campaign
aimed at bringing comprehensive cardiovascular prevention to every corner of
the country. The program will deploy AI-augmented survey tools, train a
preventive cardiology workforce, conduct mass cardiometabolic screenings,
deliver culturally grounded health education, and establish long-term follow-up
systems for behavioral change tracking. Hridayamrit has partnered with the
South Asian Prevention Network Alliance (SAPNA) of the American Society for
Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) to develop a comprehensive cardiovascular health
literacy framework specifically designed for South Asian populations,
incorporating culturally relevant guidance, region-specific clinical
thresholds, and content planned for translation into regional languages.
“We
believe that informed decisions save lives,” says Dr. Wasir, Founder and
Managing Director of Hridayamrit Foundation, who is currently pursuing a Master
of Public Health (MPH) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
in the U.S.A. He also serves as a member of the South Asian Prevention Network
and Early Career Working Group at ASPC, a HeartPAC (Political Action Committee)
Member and Social Media Ambassador at the American College of Cardiology (ACC)
and has been recognized at multiple forums for his work in preventive
cardiology and health advocacy. Dr. Wasir adds, “I believe an integrated
approach to heart health is essential—one that goes beyond clinical risk
factors to embrace complete well-being. We must not forget our roots; India’s
traditional wisdom, including Yoga and Ayurveda, emphasized preventive and
promotive health long before modern research. What we are building at
Hridayamrit aims to reshape the narrative for the youth of this country. Every
young person we train, every community we screen, every family we educate—that
is one more heart saved. I invite you all to join us in building a healthier
India.”
With
its first anniversary, Hridayamrit Foundation marks not just a year of
meaningful work, but the beginning of a movement. In a healthcare landscape
that has long been reactive, this youth-led organization is charting a
different course — one where prevention comes first, where young professionals
lead from the front, and where every heart, regardless of geography or
socioeconomic status, has access to the knowledge that can save it.
For
more information, visit www.hridayamritfoundation.com or follow @hridayamrit.foundation on
Instagram/Facebook, @HridayamritFoundation on LinkedIn, and @Hridayamrit_Fdn on
Twitter (X).
