Archive · 10 Sep 2026
TISS Student’s Cardiac Arrest Highlights Need for Campus Preparedness
A 26-year-old student at TISS became very sick during a class.
He had complained of breathing trouble and chest pain before collapsing.
The campus did not have an ambulance or a defibrillator, which is a machine that can help restore a dangerous heart rhythm.
He was taken to a nearby hospital by car, but about 30 minutes had passed.
He later died after suffering cardiac arrest.
A doctor said those first few minutes can be very important.
He suggested that colleges train staff and students in CPR and keep emergency equipment available.
He also said young people should take symptoms such as chest pain, fainting and unusual breathlessness seriously.
P Janarthanan, a 26-year-old TISS student, collapsed after reporting breathlessness and chest pain during class.
TISS reportedly had neither an ambulance nor a defibrillator, so Janarthanan was taken to hospital by car.
About 30 minutes passed before he reached Zen Multi-speciality Hospital, where he later died following cardiac arrest.
Doctor Roy Patankar said trained first responders, CPR, AEDs and rapid ambulance access could be vital during campus emergencies.
Patankar also warned that serious cardiac emergencies can affect people under 30, including those without familiar risk factors.
- Who
- P Janarthanan, a 26-year-old first-year Master of Public Health in Health Administration student at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
- What
- He collapsed during class after reporting breathlessness and chest pain and later died following cardiac arrest.
- When
- The article does not provide a specific date; the collapse occurred during a class.
- Where
- At the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ Deonar campus, followed by treatment at Zen Multi-speciality Hospital in Chembur.
- Why
- The precise cause of the cardiac arrest was not known; a post-mortem report was expected to provide further information.
- Student
- P Janarthanan, 26
- Institution
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar campus
- Course
- First-year Master of Public Health in Health Administration
- Hospital
- Zen Multi-speciality Hospital, Chembur
- Reported travel time
- About 30 minutes to reach the hospital
- Campus equipment reported absent
- An ambulance and a defibrillator
- Recommended preparedness
- CPR training, AEDs, first-aid equipment, emergency protocols and ambulance access