Balakrishnan S, an engineer by qualification, spent 37 years at ITC Limited in leadership roles across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Projects, retiring in May 2024 as Vice President – Integrated Supply Chain of its Personal Care Business. A turning point in his life came when he witnessed two sudden cardiac arrests but was unable to assist the victims. This experience inspired him to learn how to respond in such emergencies, during which he discovered that CPR awareness in India is less than 2%. Determined to make a difference, he trained as a certified Instructor in Basic Life Support (BLS) with the American Heart Association. Following his retirement, he launched ReBeat under the Ethos Foundation, where he is a Trustee. ReBeat’s mission is to create a CPR-aware India by enhancing public awareness, enabling access to AEDs, and equipping citizens with lifesaving CPR skills – to use their hands to save a life!