Manipal Hospitals Kolkata Celebrates Teachers Who Shape Generations with ‘Gurudakshina’ Health Summit
Mumbai / Kolkata: Every lesson a teacher leaves behind goes far beyond the classroom, shaping choices, building confidence and influencing lives for years to come. Yet, in caring for generations of students, teachers often find little time to pause and care for themselves. Bringing this thought to life, Manipal Hospitals Kolkata hosted ‘Gurudakshina’, a special Teachers’ Health Summit today, dedicated to the educators who have spent their lives nurturing others. The initiative brought together health awareness, emergency preparedness, preventive care and heartfelt recognition, creating a space where teachers could learn, interact with specialists and, most importantly, place their own health at the centre of the conversation.
The programme commenced with a CPR training session conducted under the supervision of Dr. Sujoy Das Thakur, Consultant and In-Charge – Emergency Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Mukundapur, and Dr. Kishen Goel, Consultant and HOD – Emergency and Critical Care, Manipal Hospital, Broadway. The session focused on helping educators recognise cardiac emergencies, initiate CPR promptly and understand the importance of immediate intervention until professional medical assistance becomes available.
Emergency preparedness is particularly important in schools and colleges, where teachers and staff are often the first adults available to respond when a student, colleague or visitor experiences a medical emergency. Equipping educators with basic emergency-response skills can help ensure that appropriate action is initiated while professional medical assistance is on its way.
Speaking on the importance of CPR preparedness, Dr. Sujoy Das Thakur, Consultant and In-Charge – Emergency Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Mukundapur, said, “In a cardiac emergency, the first few minutes can make a critical difference. CPR is an essential emergency-response skill that can help maintain circulation until advanced medical care is available. Teachers interact with students, colleagues and families every day, making them an important part of a wider community that can be prepared to respond during an emergency. By empowering educators with the confidence to recognise an emergency and initiate CPR, we can help create a stronger network of CPR-aware citizens.”
Dr. Kishen Goel, Consultant and HOD – Emergency and Critical Care, Manipal Hospital, Broadway, added, “Cardiac emergencies can happen anywhere, and awareness about recognising the signs and responding appropriately should extend beyond healthcare professionals. CPR is a simple but critical skill where timely action can make a meaningful difference. Through initiatives such as the Teachers’ Health Summit, our endeavour is to encourage more members of the community to become better prepared to respond when every second counts.”
The CPR session was followed by the launch of a dedicated Heart Number and a demonstration of the Emergency Room scan process, highlighting the importance of timely access to emergency care. The programme also featured sessions on institutional wellness, healthy-heart exercises, diet and lifestyle practices, along with an open interaction where teachers shared their healthcare expectations and concerns.
