NCL’s Nanha Sa Dil Initiative Saves Farmer’s Daughter, Strengthens Child Heart Care in Rural India

Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh: A life-changing initiative by Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) has brought hope to hundreds of families in rural India, including six-year-old Pranjali Prajapati, whose congenital heart condition was detected and treated completely free of cost under the company's flagship ‘Nanha Sa Dil’ program.

Born into a farming family in Sarai village of Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh, Pranjali often suffered from fatigue and frequent illness. Her parents, surviving on a monthly income of around ₹5,000-6,000, struggled to understand the cause of her health issues and had little access to specialized medical care.

A Village Screening Camp Changed Everything

Hope arrived when a child heart screening team under Project Nanha Sa Dil – NCL, implemented in partnership with Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals, visited the area. During a screening conducted along with Rashtriya Bal Suraksha Karyakram (RBSK) personnel, doctors suspected a heart abnormality and referred the child for further evaluation.

At an echocardiography camp organized at Community Health Centre (CHC) Deosar, cardiologists confirmed that Pranjali had a congenital heart defect, commonly known as a hole in the heart.

For her parents, the diagnosis was devastating. The expenses associated with surgery, medicines, travel and accommodation were beyond their means. However, program coordinators assured the family that every cost would be borne by NCL.

Pranjali subsequently underwent successful heart surgery at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital in Palwal, Haryana, entirely free of cost.

Today, she has returned to school and enjoys a healthy childhood with her friends, becoming one of the many success stories emerging from the initiative.

NCL Builds End-to-End Child Heart Care System

Launched in partnership with Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals in 2025, Project Nanha Sa Dil covers the districts of Singrauli and Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh and Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh.

The initiative addresses the complete treatment cycle—from awareness and screening to diagnosis, surgery and long-term follow-up.

Over the past year, the program has achieved significant milestones:

• 534 screening camps conducted

• 38,315 children screened

• 764 echocardiograms performed

• 255 free heart surgeries facilitated

The initiative has also trained healthcare workers to identify congenital heart disease early and organized awareness campaigns in schools and Anganwadi centres.

A dedicated CHD Screening Centre has been established at NCL's Bina Hospital, while advanced screening technologies developed in collaboration with HD Medical USA are helping improve diagnosis and referrals.

Digital Tracking Through ‘Nanhe Dil Ka Safar’

At the heart of the program lies Nanhe Dil Ka Safar, a digital platform designed to track children throughout the treatment journey.

From the initial screening to surgery and post-operative care, the platform ensures that no child requiring treatment is lost during the process while enabling healthcare teams to monitor progress effectively.

Coal India’s Nationwide Child Heart Care Mission

NCL's efforts are part of the larger Project Nanha Sa Dil launched by Coal India Limited and implemented across subsidiaries including Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and Western Coalfields Limited (WCL).

Over the past two years, the nationwide initiative has:

• Screened more than 1.75 lakh rural and tribal children.

• Enabled treatment for nearly 1,400 children diagnosed with congenital heart disease.

• Created one of India's largest CSR-led child heart care ecosystems.

By integrating awareness, diagnosis, transportation support, accommodation, surgery and follow-up care, the initiative is creating a comprehensive healthcare model for underserved communities.

Bringing Healthcare to the Doorstep

As India intensifies efforts to reduce child mortality and improve access to specialized healthcare, NCL's Nanha Sa Dil initiative demonstrates how collaboration between industry, healthcare institutions, technology partners and government agencies can deliver meaningful social impact.

For families like Pranjali Prajapati's, the initiative represents far more than financial assistance—it offers a second chance at life and a healthier future.

With hundreds of children already benefiting from the program, Northern Coalfields Limited continues its mission to ensure that no child is denied life-saving treatment due to economic hardship.