Samyukta Hornad, known to audiences for her work in Kannada cinema, is much more than the characters she brings to life on screen. While she captivates viewers with her acting, off-screen she channels the same passion and dedication into a very different mission rescuing and caring for animals across Bengaluru. For Samyukta, the worlds of film and animal welfare may seem contrasting, but both are expressions of her empathy, commitment, and love for life.
For Samyukta Hornad, the love for animals isn’t just a passion, it’s a lifelong calling. It all began with a dog named Gunda, a companion she rescued from a drain in front of her house. “He was the only friend I had throughout my life for 13 years,” she recalls. When Gunda passed away, the void was immense. “I promised him that in his name, I would do something. Any animal I love, that love will go to him,” she says. That promise became the seed for a mission that has since touched thousands of lives.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Samyukta’s mission took concrete shape. She began rescuing and feeding around 1,600 dogs in Bengaluru, starting with a small WhatsApp group of five people that soon grew to 150 volunteers. Her dedication caught the attention of the Karnataka government, and she was made a member of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services task force. It was then that she realised the urgent need for a dedicated, city-wide rescue infrastructure. “There was a big void,” she says. “So to bridge the gap, I first started an ambulance service. That’s how Praana Animal Foundation happened, in honour of Gunda.”
Praana is now India’s only 24/7 free ambulance service for animals, offering rescue, rehabilitation, and transportation across Bengaluru—and even extending help to cities like Ooty, Chennai, and Hyderabad. The foundation runs a cat shelter, provides post-op care, and has an isolation center for animals requiring special attention. Samyukta shares, “Every time there’s a breeding case, it breaks my heart. People buy animals instead of adopting, and the parents are often abandoned. That’s why awareness and rescue are so important.”
Her approach to animal welfare goes beyond rescue. “It’s not just about saving lives, it’s about respecting them,” she explains. Spending time with animals has been profoundly healing for her, shaping her sensitivity, empathy, and understanding of the world. “Human beings are too selfish. We are causing more damage to the planet than any other species. Animals deserve all the rights to live, be it dogs, cats, worms, bats, or elephants.”
Running Praana is not without challenges. Emotional strain is constant, from abandoned pets to emergency cases where people fail to care for animals during surgery. Logistically and financially, sustaining the services, raising funds, and managing volunteers is a daily effort. Yet, Samyukta remains motivated by the transformations she witnesses. “When a rescued animal heals completely, the love you receive is deeper than anything else. That keeps me going,” she says.
As an ambassador for urban wildlife, Samyukta also focuses on coexistence. She points out the conflicts arising from urbanisation and lack of awareness: “People need to respect all beings for the planet to function normally. Simple acts—like keeping water for birds, sterilising street dogs, or vaccinating them—can solve big problems.”
Looking ahead, Samyukta’s vision is ambitious. She plans to start a production house creating films from an animal or nature perspective to educate children and spread awareness. Her dream is also to build an animal sanctuary as large as Bengaluru, a safe haven for domestic and wild animals alike.
Samyukta Hornad’s journey—from a girl who found solace in a dog named Gunda to the founder of a life-saving animal foundation—is a testament to how one promise, one bond, can ripple into a mission that touches countless lives. Through Praana, she is not only rescuing animals but also nurturing empathy, compassion, and respect in the hearts of a city.
