# Ocean in My Heart:When One Story Meets a Million Heartbeats | Rashmi Raghunath | TEDxKG Institutions Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXSVqSQVhyY Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/LXSVqSQVhyY Generated: 2026-01-22T18:01:59.921+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Rashmi Raghunath shares her journey of overcoming a near-fatal diagnosis of Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM) by launching the Catching Hearts Foundation, which successfully established free echocardiogram screening centers across India to detect congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in children, ultimately aiming to change the demographics of heart disease. **Key Points:** - Rashmi Raghunath was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM) at age 17, a condition where thick heart muscles obstruct blood flow, leading to heart failure. - She initially questioned her fate, asking "Why me?" and later embarked on a spiritual journey, including visiting Pushkar's Brahma Temple, to find purpose. - Globally, 60-70% of the population is unaware of CHDs, which are the #1 birth defect; in India, awareness is even lower at 75-80%, contributing to 10% of infant deaths. - Her foundation, Catching Hearts, established an MOU with a heart hospital to conduct free echo scans for children, paying the hospital a sum for the service. - The foundation also partnered with community schools and NGOs to offer free screening services, successfully screening thousands of children. - The screening study showed a significant increase in detection rates in India, moving from 10-12 detections per 1,000 children in 2020 to 25 per 1,000 today. - The core goal of her work is to establish widespread screening centers to ensure every child receives the 'Right to a healthy heart' through early detection, which can save 90% of affected children. ![Screenshot at 0:09: The title slide introducing the talk theme, 'An Ocean in my Heart - A story of a million heartbeats,' set against a dramatic ocean sunset, symbolizing the emotional depth and scale of her personal story.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LXSVqSQVhyY/00-00-09.jpg) **Context:** This TEDx talk by Rashmi Raghunath, titled "An Ocean in my Heart: When One Story Meets a Million Heartbeats," details her personal health crisis and subsequent pivot toward social entrepreneurship. In 2022, she was recovering from a viral fever when her father discovered her heart was failing due to HOCM. This life-altering diagnosis catalyzed her desire to find meaning, leading her to start the Catching Hearts Foundation to address the critical lack of awareness and accessibility for diagnosing congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in India. ## Detailed Analysis Rashmi Raghunath recounts her personal battle with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM), which she discovered on January 1st, 2022, after experiencing a viral fever. The diagnosis, which meant her heart muscles were too thick, led to an open-heart surgery and a profound existential crisis where she asked, "Why me?" This led to a spiritual journey, including a trip to the Pushkar lake in India, where she sought to strip away her old self and find pieces of herself she had lost. She highlights the severe lack of awareness regarding Congenital Heart Diseases (CHDs), noting that globally 60-70% of people are unaware, and in India, this figure is 75-80%, making India the highest CHD burden country globally. To combat this, she founded the Catching Hearts Foundation, implementing a three-pronged approach: Detection (using echo scans costing over Rs 1500), Intervention (proposing collaborations with the government and NGOs), and Education. They secured an MOU with a heart hospital to send children for subsidized echo scans and partnered with schools for free screening services. The initial screenings revealed shocking statistics: 10% of infant deaths in India are due to heart issues, and 25% of affected children need urgent intervention. Through their live study, they found 25 detections per 1,000 children, significantly higher than the 2020 baseline of 10-12. Rashmi emphasizes that 90% of these children can be saved with early detection, framing her mission as securing the 'Right to a healthy heart' for every child. ### Personal Health Crisis - Speaker was diagnosed with HOCM after a viral fever on Jan 1, 2022 - Father discovered the condition via echo scan showing the heart was too big - She underwent open-heart surgery after facing the reality of death. ### The Need for Awareness - Globally, 60-70% lack awareness of CHDs; in India, 75-80% lack awareness, contributing to 10% of infant deaths in India. ### The Foundation's Work (Catching Hearts) - Established partnerships with a heart hospital for subsidized echo scans (costing over Rs 1500) and partnered with schools/NGOs for free screening services. ### Impact Metrics - Live study showed detection rates increased from 10-12/1000 children (2020) to 25/1000 children today, with 51 CHD cases detected in their study. ### The Core Mission - Advocate for the 'Right to a healthy heart' by establishing screening centers across the country to ensure early detection, which can save 90% of affected children. ![Screenshot at 0:03: The event title slide for TEDx KG Institutions 2025, themed 'Spectrum of Possibilities: Illuminating the Unseen Edges of Tomorrow,' featuring a prism splitting light.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LXSVqSQVhyY/00-00-03.jpg) ![Screenshot at 0:36: A slide illustrating the speaker's initial shock when her father announced her heart was failing due to a loud murmur, referencing the date January 1st, 2022.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LXSVqSQVhyY/00-00-36.jpg) ![Screenshot at 2:14: A collage of images showing the speaker's life evolution, asking the audience, "Do you see a problem?" contrasting childhood, musical pursuits, and adventurous adulthood.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LXSVqSQVhyY/00-02-14.jpg) ![Screenshot at 10:01: A slide summarizing the three pillars of the foundation's work: Detection \(ultrasound machine\), Intervention \(doctor examining children\), and Education \(children in a classroom setting\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LXSVqSQVhyY/00-10-01.jpg) ![Screenshot at 15:14: A slide illustrating the goal: establishing screening centers across India \(shown as a map with heart icons\) to ensure thousands of children receive deserved heart care.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LXSVqSQVhyY/00-15-14.jpg)