Doordarshan TV anchor faints live on air while reading heatwave updates in Bengal

ET Online

Updated: Apr 21, 2024,

Synopsis
A Doordarshan anchor, Lopamudra Sinha, fainted while delivering heatwave updates live on air in Kolkata. Sinha attributed her fainting spell to intense heat and a sudden drop in blood pressure. Despite feeling unwell and parched before the broadcast, she rarely keeps a water bottle with her during broadcasts. Sinha's collapse highlighted the ongoing severe heatwave affecting parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, with temperatures soaring above normal levels. She advised viewers to take precautions amid the scorching heat.

Parts of India are currently grappling with a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 46 degrees celsius in some areas. In a dramatic incident, Lopamudra Sinha, an anchor with the Kolkata branch of Doordarshan, collapsed on live television while delivering updates on the heatwave.

The Fainting Episode

Sinha, who has been in the broadcasting field for 21 years, recounted the moment she felt unwell and parched before the morning broadcast on Thursday. Despite rarely keeping a water bottle with her during broadcasts, she felt the need for water that day. However, due to the lack of visuals and breaks in the broadcast, she couldn't find an opportunity to drink water until the end of the show.
"The teleprompter faded away and I blacked out... I collapsed on my chair," she said in a video shared on her Facebook page.

She stated that she fainted "due to intense heat and because her blood pressure plummeted suddenly". The anchor also said that due to some snag in the cooling system, there was extreme heat inside the studio.

She said she was feeling unwell and parched before the morning broadcast on Thursday. "I never keep a water bottle with me. Be it a fifteen-minute or half an hour broadcast, I have never felt the need to sip water during broadcasts in my 21 years of career. But, I felt parched even as 15 minutes were left for the broadcast to end. When the TV was showing visuals and not my face, I pointed to the floor manager and asked for a bottle of water," she said in Bangla.


The Collapse

While reading a story about the heatwave, Sinha's speech started to slur, indicating that something was wrong. She attempted to complete her presentation, but the teleprompter faded, and she eventually blacked out. Fortunately, this happened during an animation on television, giving her some moments before she collapsed on her chair.

"While reading a heatwave story, my speech started getting slurred. I tried to complete my presentation. The teleprompter faded away and I blacked out. But luckily, it happened while a 30 to 40 seconds animation was playing out on television. During that time, I collapsed on my chair."

Prompt Response

Colleagues rushed to her aid, splashing water on her face and fanning her to help her recover. Sinha expressed gratitude to the producers for managing the broadcast after her fainting spell and apologized to the channel for the mishap.

Heatwave Impact

The incident sheds light on the severe heatwave currently affecting parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal. The temperatures in some places are seven to eight degrees above normal, with Midnapore and Bankura in West Bengal recording 44.5 and 44.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. It is crucial to stay hydrated and take precautions to prevent heat-related illnesses during such extreme weather conditions.

Sinha's experience serves as a reminder of the importance of staying hydrated, especially during heatwaves. As the heatwave continues to affect parts of India, it is essential for everyone to take necessary precautions to stay safe and healthy.