By — Dilip Guha
The 16th Indian Organ Donation Day was observed on Monday with a powerful message: organ donation is the highest expression of compassion, a human act of our generation.
Organ donation is not only an act of compassion but also one of the most sustainable choices a person can make, as the nation observes the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day in the national capital on Monday. The event advanced a compelling new perspective: organ donation is the ultimate form of recycling—one body, many lives, zero waste. Launch of the ‘Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan (जुग जुग जियो अभियान)’, a year-long nationwide awareness campaign aimed at bringing the message of organ donation to every community and reinforcing that organ donation is the greatest gift of life, allowing donors’ legacies to live on through recipients.
Hosted by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the ceremony at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre brought together donor families, transplant professionals, healthcare workers, policymakers, and recipients to celebrate the gift of life while encouraging greater public participation in organ donation.
The programme formed part of NOTTO’s nationwide awareness initiative, “Angdaan Jan Sanjeevani Abhiyaan,” conducted during 2025–26 and Organ Donation Month in July 2026. The day also commemorated India’s first successful heart transplant following the enactment of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA), 1994. The event reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening India’s organ donation and transplantation programme
Organ donor families were honoured for their extraordinary generosity, while transplant professionals, hospitals, and States and Union Territories were recognised for their outstanding contributions to advancing organ donation and transplantation across the country
The programme was attended by the Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers, Smt. Anupriya Patel as the Chief Guest, in the presence of Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Director General of Health Services Dr Loveneesh G. Krishna, Director, NOTTO, Dr Anil Kumar, senior officials of the Ministry, representatives from States and Union Territories, donor families, transplant recipients, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel described the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day as a celebration of the spirit of service and humanity. She said that organ donation is the highest expression of compassion, as it offers a second chance at life to those battling end-stage organ failure. She expressed her profound gratitude to the families of deceased organ donors, whose selfless decisions have inspired the nation and strengthened India’s organ donation movement. She also appreciated the commendable efforts of several State Governments and encouraged them to continue sharing best practices to further enhance organ donation and transplantation services across the country.
Highlighting India’s remarkable progress, the Union Minister stated that the country has crossed five lakh Aadhaar-verified organ donation pledges since the launch of the national digital pledge portal in 2023. She attributed this growing public participation to the sustained awareness efforts of the Government and the inspiring appeal made by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which has encouraged citizens to come forward for organ donation while also promoting the timely and safe transportation of organs to recipients.
She noted that India has made significant strides in organ transplantation, with the number of transplants increasing from 4,990 in 2013 to over 20,000 in 2025, the highest ever recorded in a single year. India now ranks third globally in the total number of organ transplants, after the United States and China. She further highlighted that deceased donor transplants have increased from 837 in 2013 to more than 3,500 in 2025, while acknowledging that a substantial gap still exists between the demand for organs and their availability. She emphasised that addressing this gap remains a national priority.
The Union Minister observed that misconceptions surrounding organ donation continue to be a major challenge. She stressed that no major religion prohibits organ donation; rather, all faiths uphold the values of compassion, service and saving lives, making organ donation a noble humanitarian act.
Referring to the initiatives launched on the occasion, she said that the National Brain Stem Death Certification Guidelines and the National Guidelines on Swap Transplantation would help standardise practices and strengthen policy implementation across the country. She also highlighted the launch of the ‘Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan (जुग जुग जियो अभियान)’, a year-long nationwide awareness campaign aimed at bringing the message of organ donation to every community and reinforcing that organ donation is the greatest gift of life, allowing donors’ legacies to live on through recipients.
She further stated that the Government has established a robust institutional network comprising NOTTO, five Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs), 26 State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (SOTTOs) and around 1,200 registered hospitals. To strengthen coordination among these stakeholders, the Government has launched ‘e-प्रत्यारोपण’, a unified digital platform that will create a seamless, transparent and efficient organ donation and transplantation ecosystem while enhancing trust among citizens.
Highlighting the Government’s continued support under the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), she said that financial assistance is being provided to States for strengthening infrastructure, donor maintenance, organ retrieval and transportation. She further noted that under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), kidney transplantation has been included in the Health Benefit Package, while financial assistance for economically weaker patients is also available under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi. She added that the expanding network of over 20,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras is improving access to affordable medicines, including post-transplant medications.
Concluding her address, Smt. Patel underscored that while expanding transplantation services remains essential, the larger objective should be to reduce the need for organ transplants through disease prevention and healthier lifestyles. She said the Government has adopted a paradigm shift by integrating preventive and promotive healthcare with curative care through initiatives such as Yoga, Fit India Movement and other public health programmes. Referring to the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s recent launch of the Nasha Mukt Bharat campaign, she called upon citizens, particularly the youth, to avoid substance abuse and embrace healthy lifestyles, emphasising that prevention is the most effective way to safeguard health and reduce the burden of chronic diseases that often lead to organ failure.
Speaking at the Occasion, Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava expressed gratitude to donor families, transplant recipients, healthcare professionals, hospitals, States and Union Territories, NOTTO, ROTTOs, SOTTOs, and all stakeholders for their collective efforts in making India’s organ donation movement stronger and more impactful.
The occasion witnessed the launch of several landmark initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s organ donation and transplantation ecosystem through enhanced public awareness, digital transformation and policy reforms.
Leading the initiatives, Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel launched the ‘Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan (जुग जुग जियो अभियान)’, a nationwide public awareness campaign designed to promote organ donation as a life-saving act and reinforce the message that the legacy of donors lives on through the recipients of their organs and tissues. The campaign seeks to expand awareness on organ donation to every village across the country through sustained public engagement and community participation.
The Union Minister also launched ‘e-प्रत्यारोपण‘, a unified, secure, transparent and technology-driven national digital platform that digitally integrates hospitals, doctors, donors, recipients and other stakeholders onto a single seamless network. The platform consolidates registration, wait-list management, organ allocation, monitoring and public information services into one integrated digital ecosystem, marking a transformative step towards a more efficient, transparent and technology-enabled organ donation and transplantation programme.
Further strengthening digital service delivery, the new NOTTO Mobile Application was launched to provide citizens, transplant professionals, hospitals and administrators with easier access to organ donation and transplantation-related services and information.
In a significant policy initiative, the National Brain Stem Death Certification Guidelines and the National Guidelines on Swap Transplantation were also released. These guidelines provide a practical framework for transplant professionals and support States and Union Territories in implementing a robust, ethical and efficient organ donation and transplantation programme. They are expected to strengthen the national transplantation ecosystem and facilitate wider access to safe, equitable and high-quality transplantation services across the country.
The event also witnessed the release of the NOTTO Annual Report 2025–26, which presents a comprehensive account of the progress achieved under India’s organ donation and transplantation programme. The report highlights that 20,138 organ transplants were performed in 2025, the highest ever recorded in a single year, representing a fourfold increase from 4,990 transplants in 2013 and a 6.5 per cent increase over 18,911 transplants in 2024. India continues to rank third globally in the total number of organ transplants while retaining the first position worldwide in living donor organ transplants. Deceased donor organ transplants also recorded substantial growth, increasing more than fourfold from 837 in 2013 to 3,526 in 2025. During the year, over 2.58 lakh citizens pledged to donate their organs and tissues, reflecting growing public awareness and participation in the national movement.
The latest edition of the NOTTO e-Newsletter, highlighting the activities, achievements and best practices of NOTTO, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTOs) and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (SOTTOs) during the year, was also released on the occasion.
As part of the celebrations, the National Organ Donation Awards were presented to States, Union Territories, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTOs), hospitals, transplant professionals and other stakeholders for their outstanding contribution towards strengthening organ donation and transplantation services in the country. PGIMER, Chandigarh was conferred the award for the Best Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) – Northern Region. Tamil Nadu was recognised as the Best State for recording the highest number of deceased organ donors, while Assam received the award for the Best State in the North Eastern Region. Delhi was honoured as the Best Union Territory. Awards were also presented to hospitals for excellence in organ transplantation and organ retrieval, transplant professionals and other stakeholders in recognition of their exemplary efforts in advancing the national organ donation programme.
.A Heartfelt Tribute to the Heroes Who Gave the Gift of Life
One of the most moving moments of the event was a solemn tribute to deceased organ donors and the extraordinary courage of their families, whose selfless decisions have transformed unimaginable personal loss into the gift of life for countless patients. Around ten donor families from different parts of the country were felicitated for their invaluable contribution to humanity, receiving heartfelt appreciation from the audience.
Among the stories that deeply touched everyone present was that of Biswajit Maji and his wife from West Bengal. Their young son tragically lost his life after sustaining severe head injuries in a road accident while trying to avoid hitting a pedestrian on his two-wheeler. Despite receiving the best possible treatment at the Trauma Care Centre of IPGMER and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, doctors were unable to save him, and he was declared brain dead.
In the midst of overwhelming grief, Biswajit Maji and his wife made an extraordinary decision that turned tragedy into hope. With remarkable courage and compassion, they consented to donate their son’s vital organs, ensuring that four critically ill patients were given a second chance at life.
The successful retrieval and transplantation of the young donor’s organs marked a significant milestone for deceased organ donation coordinated through ROTTO (East) in West Bengal. His family’s act of generosity stands as a powerful reminder that even in life’s darkest moments, the choice to donate organs can create a lasting legacy of hope, healing, and humanity.
The cultural segment also showcased India’s rich artistic traditions while reinforcing the message of organ donation. A troupe from the Sangeet Natak Akademi captivated the audience with an elegant Kathak performance, symbolising the celebration of life, hope, and the enduring spirit of humanity.
Adding a deeply personal touch to the programme, medical students from Lady Hardinge Medical College presented a soulful musical narration centred on organ donation. Through poignant lyrics and heartfelt storytelling, they highlighted the life-changing impact of organ donation, paying tribute to donors and their families while inspiring the audience to embrace the cause with compassion and awareness.
Together, the performances transformed the event into more than a formal ceremony, using the power of art, music, and dance to convey the profound message that the gift of organ donation can bring hope and a second chance at life even in the midst of tragedy.
Adding a poignant artistic dimension to the occasion, the cultural programme featured a thought-provoking dance drama – a skit on organ donation presented by students of Shinjan Dance Academy under the direction of Smita Chakraborty.
The performance narrated the deeply moving story of Kritika, a devoted wife and mother of two young children, whose life took a tragic turn after she suffered a severe brain injury in an accident. As doctors declared her brain dead, the production sensitively portrayed the emotional turmoil faced by her army husband, Colonel, and other family members as they grappled with the agonising decision of donating her organs while coping with an irreplaceable personal loss.
Through powerful choreography, evocative music, and compelling performances, the production captured the profound conflict between grief and hope. It highlighted how one family’s courageous decision to consent to organ donation could give several critically ill patients a new lease of life, conveying the message that even in the face of unimaginable tragedy, the gift of organ donation can create a lasting legacy of compassion, hope, and humanity.
The emotionally charged presentation received a standing ovation, reinforcing the event’s central message that awareness, empathy, and timely decisions can save countless lives through organ donation.
Talking on the occasion, Dr Usha Rawat of Vishambhar Das Homoeopathic Dispensary, who felt blessed while attending the occasion, says
Feeling blessed! It’s a wonderful feeling to witness the launch of Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyan on 16 Indian Organ Donation Day. There’s a remarkable increase in the number of organ transplants done all over the country. People’s understanding of the need for this noble sacrifice has increased over the years, with over 5 lakh people taking pledges for organ donation. It was overwhelming to offer gratitude to the people who have generously donated their loved one’s organs at their worst hours of grief to give life to other people. What a beautiful way of leaving a legacy of life after life! “ A life is lived not by the years but by the lives it touches “ a donor can save 8 lives. Taking a pledge to donate organs is as important as spreading awareness, as“Ang Dan is Mahadan “
Organ Donation: The Ultimate Green Legacy
Beyond the tributes, cultural performances, and inspiring stories of courage, one of the most thought-provoking ideas to emerge from the event was the concept of organ donation as the ultimate green legacy—a profound act of sustainability that allows life to continue long after one’s own has ended.
At a time when conversations on climate change encourage people to plant trees, reduce plastic consumption, conserve natural resources, and adopt environmentally responsible lifestyles, speakers urged society to broaden its understanding of sustainability. They emphasised that organ donation is perhaps one of the most meaningful ways an individual can leave behind a lasting legacy—one that benefits humanity directly.
A moving reflection shared during the programme captured the essence of this philosophy:
“We speak of planting trees, reducing plastic, and protecting the environment. But when we donate our organs, nothing meaningful is wasted. The heart, kidneys, liver, eyes, and other organs continue to give life instead of fading away. That is continuity, not loss. That is legacy, not death.” Said an attendee.
The message resonated deeply with the audience. Organ donation was presented not merely as a medical intervention, but as an enduring act of compassion that ensures parts of the human body continue to serve others even after life has ended. In that sense, it represents a unique form of sustainability—where one life creates hope for many others.
Speakers also acknowledged the realities that continue to hinder organ donation in India. Fear, misinformation, emotional hesitation, and social stigma often prevent families from taking the courageous decision to donate, even when it has the potential to save several lives.
The appeal, therefore, was not limited to increasing the number of donors today. It was a call to build a culture of awareness and acceptance for tomorrow—to create a platform and a promise for the next generation. The vision is of a society where discussions about organ donation begin early, myths are replaced with knowledge, and donating organs after death becomes as widely understood and socially accepted as donating blood.
The programme concluded with a powerful message that echoed throughout the auditorium:
“One body. Many lives. A legacy that lives on.”
Participants noted that organ donation transforms personal tragedy into renewed hope. Rather than allowing a precious opportunity to pass, it enables a single donor to save and improve multiple lives, creating a legacy measured not in monuments or memories alone, but in the beating hearts, restored sight, and renewed lives of those who receive this extraordinary gift.
