Interview With Dr. Satya Garimella, Co-Founder, Compassionate Patient Response, Inc. (CPR)

Dr. Satya Garimella, Co-Founder of Compassionate Patient Response, Inc. (CPR) and a practicing cardiologist in the U.S., founded CPR at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to address the dire shortage of critical care resources in under-resourced hospitals across India. What began as an emergency response—delivering ventilators, ICU beds, and oxygen support—has evolved into a long-term mission to strengthen healthcare resilience and ensure equitable access to lifesaving care. Under his leadership, CPR integrates equipment into hospital systems, provides training, and engages local governments to build sustainable impact. Today, CPR is partnering with Mission ICU to launch Mission Critical, a landmark event in Delhi aimed at co-creating India’s National 2047 Pandemic Preparedness Roadmap. Dr. Garimella envisions a future where by 2047, no patient is denied critical care because of where they live or the resources they have.

1. Could you tell us how CPR was founded and what motivated you to start this initiative?

CPR was born at the height of the pandemic when we saw, firsthand, how under-resourced hospitals in India struggled to provide lifesaving care. As a cardiologist practicing in the U.S., I felt deeply connected to the crisis in India and knew we had to act. Together with my co-founder Krishna Kottapalli, we started CPR to mobilize resources and provide critical care facilities to hospitals serving underprivileged communities. What began as an urgent response has now grown into a long-term mission to strengthen healthcare resilience.

2. What is CPR’s core mission and how has it evolved since its early days of pandemic response?

Our mission is simple but powerful: to ensure no patient is denied critical care because of where they live or what resources they have. In the early days, we focused on emergency donations of equipment like ventilators and ICU beds. Over time, our approach has evolved to include sustainability, integration with hospital systems, and partnerships with organizations like Mission ICU to build a strong foundation for future health emergencies.

3. What is the main focus of the Mission Critical event in Delhi, and why is it significant for India at this point in time?

Mission Critical is about co-creating a national roadmap for pandemic preparedness by 2047. The event brings together policymakers, healthcare leaders, CSR, startups, and MedTech innovators to align efforts toward building resilient healthcare systems. This is significant because the lessons from COVID-19 are still fresh—India cannot afford to be reactive again. The event is about moving from emergency response to long-term preparedness, ensuring that by 2047, no community is left behind in access to critical care.

4. What unique value does CPR bring to the Mission Critical partnership with Mission ICU?

CPR brings its experience with strategic partnerships, donor engagement, and on-ground project implementation. Mission ICU has deep experience in mobilizing communities and deploying ICU infrastructure. Together, our strengths make Mission Critical not just a forum for ideas but a catalyst for real, tangible change.

5. What are the biggest challenges CPR faces when installing critical care infrastructure in underserved regions?

We often face hurdles like unreliable electricity, limited oxygen supply, shortage of trained staff, and delays in logistics. These challenges are real, but we address them by working hand-in-hand with local administrations, ensuring proper training, and tailoring each project to the ground reality rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

6. How does CPR ensure sustainability of the critical care facilities it helps set up?

For us, sustainability goes beyond just donating equipment. We ensure maintenance contracts, training of local healthcare workers, and close integration into hospital operations. We also keep local government stakeholders involved so that there’s ownership and long-term accountability. Our goal is not just to install machines but to create systems that save lives for decades to come.

7. The Mission Critical event emphasizes CSR and philanthropy. What role do you see businesses and donors playing in this effort?

CSR and philanthropy are absolutely essential. A single ICU bed can save countless lives, and that direct, measurable impact strongly resonates with donors and companies. But beyond charity, it’s about nation-building. By aligning CSR initiatives with the Sustainable Development Goals, businesses can create lasting impact. The Mission Critical event is a platform to show how these investments can be scaled and sustained.

8. As a practicing cardiologist in the U.S., how has your medical background shaped the way you approach CPR’s work in India?

My medical background helps me understand the clinical realities—what is truly needed in an ICU, how equipment should integrate into workflows, and the importance of training. At the same time, being outside India has given me perspective and access to networks that can mobilize support globally. It’s a combination of medical insight and global outreach.

9. The event promises to produce a National 2047 Pandemic Preparedness Roadmap. What outcomes do you hope to see from this document?

We want this roadmap to be a living, actionable plan—not just a white paper. It should capture strategies, policy recommendations, and collaborative initiatives that directly inform government and private sector action. By linking it to India’s centenary of independence in 2047, we give ourselves a clear, noble milestone to work toward: a pandemic-ready India.

10. Finally, what does “equitable access to critical care” mean to you personally, and how far is India from achieving it?

Equitable access means that a child in a rural village has the same chance of survival in a health emergency as someone in Delhi or Bangalore. We are still far from that reality, but every ICU bed, every partnership, every event like Mission Critical brings us a step closer. My vision is that by 2047, equitable healthcare will not be an aspiration—it will be a lived reality for every Indian.

About Dr. Satya Garimella

Dr. Satya Garimella, Co-Founder of Compassionate Patient Response, Inc. (CPR), is a U.S.-based cardiologist whose commitment to healthcare equity transcends borders. Witnessing the acute challenges faced by under-resourced hospitals in India during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Garimella, alongside co-founder Krishna Kottapalli, launched CPR to provide urgent critical care support, from ventilators to ICU beds, to underserved communities. What began as an emergency response has evolved into a sustained mission to strengthen India’s healthcare resilience. Under his leadership, CPR not only delivers life-saving equipment but also ensures long-term sustainability through staff training, hospital integration, and local government engagement. Dr. Garimella’s medical expertise allows him to bridge clinical realities with strategic project implementation, while his global perspective enables mobilization of resources and partnerships internationally. A key initiative under his guidance is the Mission Critical event in Delhi, aimed at co-creating a National 2047 Pandemic Preparedness Roadmap. By uniting policymakers, healthcare leaders, CSR stakeholders, startups, and MedTech innovators, the event seeks to shift India from reactive emergency responses to proactive, resilient healthcare planning. Dr. Garimella emphasizes the importance of CSR and philanthropy in building lasting infrastructure, noting that every ICU bed installed can save countless lives and serve as a tangible, measurable impact for donors. For him, “equitable access to critical care” means that a child in a rural village should have the same chance of survival as someone in a metropolitan city—a vision that CPR steadily advances through partnerships, training, and community-focused implementation. With his clinical insight, strategic vision, and unwavering dedication, Dr. Garimella is helping shape a future where critical healthcare access is not a privilege, but a fundamental right for all Indians, aiming for full realization by India’s centenary in 2047.