On her way to receive the highest civilian honour, Padma Shri, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi for saving lives of road accident victims, 72-year-old Dr. Maya Tandon speaks to Priyanka Chandani about the moment that changed the course of her life
Working as a doctor in a government hospital, Dr. Maya Tandon was no stranger to the Trauma Ward, where road accident victims were a common sight. Each death was a painful reminder of her friend’s passing. All she thought was to retire and dedicate herself to making a difference.
For over 30 years, Dr. Tandon poured her heart into a cause she holds dear―spreading the word about road safety to stop the heartbreaking loss of lives. Dr. Tandon’s journey to becoming a road safety advocate started back in 1994. “That year changed everything for me,” she recalls.
Trauma, training, transformation
It was also that time when the commissioner of police in Jaipur asked her to train his police constables life-saving techniques. “I was apprehensive, but I knew I could teach. The first batch of constables was ready to be first responders on roads and the response was positive,” she reminisces.
Eventually, Dr. Tandon began to train officers in other cities. She started her NGO Sahayata to build a dedicated team to support her efforts of saving lives on road. “When I look back, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I am grateful for the Padma Shri, and it motivates me to make a difference,” smiles Dr. Tandon.
Sahayata means support in Hindi. Right from the onset, the NGO’s mission was clear―to spread the word about road safety and offer immediate support to victims of accidents and their families. “I did not have any budget, but I was passionate and determined to my cause. My husband and I were doctors, so we didn’t have a financial crunch,” she reminisces.
One step at a time
Initially, Dr. Tandon under her NGO organized road safety workshops and seminars in schools, colleges, and community centers. This way, she says, they were able to reach out to a diverse audience apart from the government police officials. The training program curated by Dr. Tandon covers many topics from the importance of seat belts and bike helmets to the consequences of drunk driving. “My aim was to equip people with the knowledge and skills to make safer choices on the road,” she states.
Over the years, Sahayata grew, so did its impact. Dr. Tandon along with her volunteers at the NGO broadened their reach and started innovative programs to tackle the root causes of road accidents. They initiated awareness campaigns focused on specific risk factors like speeding, distracted driving, and pedestrian safety.
With creative strategies like street plays, posters, and social media campaigns, the volunteers engaged with the community in new and meaningful ways, initiating a conversation about road safety.
Saving lives with basics
Dr. Tandon’s initial trainees included traffic police constables and hospital staff, such as compounders and workers. “I focused on proposals to establish a helpline for road safety and other initiatives that prioritized first aid over legal formalities. I can’t miss mentioning the support of training officers in everything that I wanted to do,” she says.
She also developed a comprehensive training module for police officers to serve as effective first responders in road accidents. This module has evolved over the years as the number of accidents has increased. Trained first responders are equipped to provide immediate medical assistance, including CPR, bleeding control, and spinal injury stabilization, which improves the chances of survival by reducing the severity of injury.
“We’ve saved countless lives, but we didn’t do it alone – government programs have been crucial along with fast ambulance services and emergency care at every hospital. Now, a victim can be taken to the nearest hospital for primary treatment without any initial payment or family attended,” ensures Dr. Tandon.
She further informs, “We also introduced extrication techniques in our training, teaching first responders to safely remove victims from vehicles to minimize further injuries. These trained individuals are familiar with the locations of nearby hospitals and can coordinate emergency services for swift rescues.”
When I look back, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I am grateful for the Padma Shri, and it motivates me to make a difference… .Continuing to help people keeps my heart young.” ― Dr. Maya Tandon
A hassle-free world
There used to be a fear of police interrogation that feared people from helping accident victims, but that’s changed now. Dr. Tandon says that even if a stranger brings the victim in, treatment starts immediately without any financial prerequisite. “I feel incredibly fortunate that our 30-yeareffort has brought significant changes and forced the government to relax rules,” she says.
From a young mother rescued from a car crash to an elderly man injured in a hit-and-run, each person Dr. Tandon helped has touched her heart. Their stories reinforce the importance of their work and commitment. Over the years, Dr. Tandon has been honored with various awards for her work in road safety. However, for Dr. Tandon, no award can match the joy of saving a life and bringing happiness to a victim’s family. “While I appreciate the awards and honors, my true reward is the lives and families we’ve helped. With this recognition, I’m more determined than ever to continue our fight for road safety. We’ve made significant progress since we started 30 years ago, but there’s still so much to do. Road accidents remain a leading cause of death and injuries worldwide,” she observes.
In addition to life-saving skills for road accidents, Dr. Tandon has also started teaching people how to save lives during a heart attack. “After COVID-19, we hear a lot of youngsters dying of heart attack and cardiac arrest. I now train people about techniques that can help people buy some time for the patient to reach a hospital,” she informs.
Back to basics
The American Heart Association recommends applying pressure to the heart and giving mouth-to-mouth breathing (CPR) in emergencies. Recently, the Indian Resuscitation Council confirmed that pressing on the heart 120 times a minute can save a life. However, many people are unaware of this process and are unable to perform CPR.
As an anesthesiologist and head of the ICU, I felt it was my duty to spread awareness about these methods. A simple action like giving ‘Disprin,’ a common headache tablet, to someone having a heart attack with unbearable pain in the chest and shoulder can help the patient reach the hospital so that treatment for the heart attack can start,” suggests Dr. Tandon.
So far, Sahayata has focused on Rajasthan for training and imparting knowledge, but Dr. Tandon says she still has the entire country and the world to reach. At 72 and retired, Dr. Tandon holds onto the hope that she can make a difference globally and reduce deaths by accidents to zero. “I am confident that my team, along with many more volunteers, can create a safer future,” affirms the doctor.
Beyond any honour
Describing the moment she received the news of her selection for the Padma Shri, Dr. Tandon recalls that she was sitting in a car with her son when a call from the Ministry of Home Affairs came through. “They confirmed my name and my NGO’s name. What I heard next sent me leaping from my seat. ‘The President of India has named you for the Padma Shri.’ The voice on the other line announced. I was in shock for a few moments before I shared the news with my son. He said, ‘it’s a well-deserved honour. Both my sons are incredibly supportive. They studied abroad and are very well-settled in their lives.”
Looking back, Dr. Tandon is filled with gratitude for the chance to serve the people. “It’s not just me, but the officers, first responders, and volunteers who work tirelessly to help me realize my vision. Receiving the Padma Shri from the government is a reminder that I need to work even harder and reach as many people as possible. I feel honored and excited,” she says.
Currently, Dr. Tandon says her zest for life keeps her going, and that she never wants to stop. “Continuing to help people keeps my heart young. I know many depend on me, and I’ve trained countless individuals to save lives on the roads. I believe my husband must be very proud of me as I continue my mission,” says Dr. Tandon in conclusion.
