What is the story about?
A Delhi man's social media post complimenting the quick response of a Blinkit ambulance service went viral after he claimed that his grandmother's life was saved in a medical emergency earlier this week due to its six-minute arrival.
Shivam Kukreja, a resident of Delhi, stated that his grandmother collapsed at home at around 8 am. She was unconscious, but her heartbeat was still audible. Kukreja said that the planned public ambulance was taking longer than expected when the family first called the national emergency number 112.
In a LinkedIn post, Kukreja recalled discovering an ambulance option using the Blinkit app, a platform better known for delivering groceries and necessities. His post claimed that the app projected a six-minute arrival time, and he received a confirmation call within a minute of submitting the request.
A Blinkit ambulance with two qualified nurses arrived at his door four minutes later.
“I placed the request. Within a minute, I got a confirmation call from Blinkit. Within another four minutes, an ambulance arrived at our doorstep with two nurses,” Kukreja wrote.
When the medical staff arrived on the scene, they quickly evaluated Kukreja's grandmother and discovered that her blood sugar had fallen to a dangerous 40 mg/dL. They gave a drip and other urgent treatment immediately.
“Within about 10 minutes, she regained consciousness,” Kukreja wrote, adding that his family was overcome with relief as she regained vital stability before they transported her to a hospital for further treatment.
Kukreja pointed out that the ambulance service was free, which literally shocked the family the most. “When everything stabilised, I asked them how much I owed—assuming this was a paid service. Their response genuinely surprised me: ‘This is Blinkit’s trust. We do this for free,’” he wrote.
He even tried to offer a tip, but they graciously declined. “Instead of just donating to an NGO, they identified a real problem and built a solution that saves lives,” Kukreja said in retrospect.
“With all the debate and criticism around '10-minute deliveries,' experiences like this remind us of the real impact technology and private companies can have when used responsibly,” he further added.
Additionally, Kukreja mentioned the little contribution reminders on Blinkit and Zomato, saying, “I'm never going to remove that Rs 1–Rs 2 donation prompt at checkout going forward. Because sometimes, those small contributions add up to something life-saving.”
Read the full post here:
How did the Internet react?
The event showed how quick, skilled assistance may spell the difference between life and death, according to one account who called the Blinkit responders "new generation heroes." Others commended the business for including a life-saving feature into a regular app.
Another user mentioned that Blinkit’s ambulance feature in itself “reflects a larger gap in public service delivery, where private companies are stepping in to solve problems that ideally should be handled efficiently by government systems, with clear accountability and execution.”
Blinkit launched its rapid-response ambulance service in January 2025, with the goal of responding to requests for medical assistance within 10 minutes. Each van is manned by a qualified paramedic, an assistant, and a driver.
The service is equipped with lifesaving supplies, including oxygen cylinders, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), stretchers, monitors, suction machines, and emergency medications. It uses a not-for-profit business concept.
Shivam Kukreja, a resident of Delhi, stated that his grandmother collapsed at home at around 8 am. She was unconscious, but her heartbeat was still audible. Kukreja said that the planned public ambulance was taking longer than expected when the family first called the national emergency number 112.
In a LinkedIn post, Kukreja recalled discovering an ambulance option using the Blinkit app, a platform better known for delivering groceries and necessities. His post claimed that the app projected a six-minute arrival time, and he received a confirmation call within a minute of submitting the request.
A Blinkit ambulance with two qualified nurses arrived at his door four minutes later.
“I placed the request. Within a minute, I got a confirmation call from Blinkit. Within another four minutes, an ambulance arrived at our doorstep with two nurses,” Kukreja wrote.
When the medical staff arrived on the scene, they quickly evaluated Kukreja's grandmother and discovered that her blood sugar had fallen to a dangerous 40 mg/dL. They gave a drip and other urgent treatment immediately.
“Within about 10 minutes, she regained consciousness,” Kukreja wrote, adding that his family was overcome with relief as she regained vital stability before they transported her to a hospital for further treatment.
Kukreja pointed out that the ambulance service was free, which literally shocked the family the most. “When everything stabilised, I asked them how much I owed—assuming this was a paid service. Their response genuinely surprised me: ‘This is Blinkit’s trust. We do this for free,’” he wrote.
He even tried to offer a tip, but they graciously declined. “Instead of just donating to an NGO, they identified a real problem and built a solution that saves lives,” Kukreja said in retrospect.
“With all the debate and criticism around '10-minute deliveries,' experiences like this remind us of the real impact technology and private companies can have when used responsibly,” he further added.
Additionally, Kukreja mentioned the little contribution reminders on Blinkit and Zomato, saying, “I'm never going to remove that Rs 1–Rs 2 donation prompt at checkout going forward. Because sometimes, those small contributions add up to something life-saving.”
Read the full post here:
How did the Internet react?
The event showed how quick, skilled assistance may spell the difference between life and death, according to one account who called the Blinkit responders "new generation heroes." Others commended the business for including a life-saving feature into a regular app.
Another user mentioned that Blinkit’s ambulance feature in itself “reflects a larger gap in public service delivery, where private companies are stepping in to solve problems that ideally should be handled efficiently by government systems, with clear accountability and execution.”
Blinkit launched its rapid-response ambulance service in January 2025, with the goal of responding to requests for medical assistance within 10 minutes. Each van is manned by a qualified paramedic, an assistant, and a driver.
The service is equipped with lifesaving supplies, including oxygen cylinders, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), stretchers, monitors, suction machines, and emergency medications. It uses a not-for-profit business concept.
