Mothers are in the spotlight this week with Mother’s Day on May 11. In India, DCM Shriram Foundation, is using the opportunity not to celebrate mothers with the usual praise and flowers, but with a digital campaign by agency, by agency, EFGH Brand Innovations, and director, Titus Upputuru, to raise awareness of the issue of high-risk pregnancy and the need for accessible maternal healthcare in rural India. 20% to 30% of pregnancies in India are estimated to be high-risk, with 97 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and 28 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births.

The initiative, under the Foundation’s flagship program, Khushali Sehat (Mother & Child Health Program), honours mothers while advocating for safer pregnancies and stronger healthcare linkages in underserved communities.

At the core of the campaign is a short film that follows the story of Mohan, a young field worker supporting the Foundation’s Mobile Health Units (MHUs). These MHUs bring vital antenatal (ANC) and postnatal (PNC) services directly to women in remote villages. The film captures a moment at a health camp, where a woman named Rani, eight months pregnant, is diagnosed with critically low hemoglobin levels – a key indicator of HRP, that triggers reminders of Mohan’s past. His mother died during a home birth.

Aman Pannu, president, DCM Shriram Foundation, commented, “At DCM Shriram Foundation, we believe that the health of a mother defines the future of a family and the strength of a community. Through Khushali Sehat, we are focused on making quality maternal care accessible in remote regions. This Mother’s Day, we reaffirm our commitment to reducing maternal health risks and ensuring every mother’s right to safe and dignified care.”

Emmanuel Upputuru, founder of EFGH and the writer behind the film, stated, “The idea began with a simple yet profound question: How does a child who has lost his mother celebrate Mother’s Day? For me, it was deeply personal, I lost my mother at 19, and ever since, I find a part of her in every mother I meet. The story wrote itself from there. Titus did the rest of the magic.”

Titus Upputuru added, “For those of us who lost our mothers early in life, it’s not easy dealing with the few, rare memories. When Emmanuel shared the idea of someone being haunted by his mother, I immediately loved it. I really commend DCM Shriram for this initiative and all the workers, doctors, nurses, along with the Ashas, working so hard at the grass root level to help bring the Maternal Mortality Rate down.”