PGIMER Chandigarh Scripts History Again at Indian Organ Donation Day
Clinches Best ROTTO Award for Second Year Running, Honoured for Best BSD Team Too
Chandigarh/New Delhi, Aug 2:
PGIMER Chandigarh has done it again—and this time, with double honours. At the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day celebrations held in Delhi on Friday, PGIMER’s Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO North) clinched the prestigious Best ROTTO Award for the second year in a row, reinforcing its leadership in India’s cadaver organ donation movement.
That’s not all—its stellar Brain Stem Death (BSD) Certification Team was also honoured for its ethical and timely donor identification protocols.
Hosted under the aegis of the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) at the iconic Dr. B.R. Ambedkar International Centre, the event was graced by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda.
Lauding the dedication of donor families, doctors, and transplant teams, Nadda called for turning organ donation into a national people’s movement. “This is about humanity, healing, and giving life after life,” he said.
PGIMER’s director Prof. Vivek Lal, along with Prof. Vipin Koushal (Medical Superintendent and ROTTO Nodal Officer), Deputy Director Sh. Pankaj Rai, and Consultant Saryu D. Madra, led the delegation that received the award.
Other members of the BSD team—Prof. Kajal Jain, Prof. Ashish Sharma, Prof. Rajesh Chhabra, Dr. Rajeev Chauhan, Dr. Hemant Bhagat, and Dr. Shanky Singh—were also present to mark the moment.
Prof. Lal said the recognition wasn’t just an award—it was a reaffirmation of trust. “This speaks to the faith donor families, the government, and our teams place in us.We are committed to going even further,” he said.
Prof. Koushal echoed the sentiment, calling the win “a collective victory for every team member and every brave family that chose to donate organs in the face of grief.”
Adding a deeply human dimension to the event was the presence of Krishna, a heart recipient, who came with his parents Bhupinder and Madhu.
Their tearful gratitude moved the audience, reminding everyone why this cause matters.
PGIMER’s ROTTO North has now won the Best ROTTO title thrice—in 2019, 2024, and 2025.
The institute had earlier bagged four national awards for Best Hospital in Deceased Organ Donation and was recognised in 2022–23 as the Union Territory with the highest number of deceased donors.
With its ROTTO responsibilities spanning Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, and the UTs of J&K and Chandigarh, PGIMER has emerged as the nerve centre of North India’s transplant ecosystem.
Its Project Sarathi—a student volunteer-driven initiative—has played a key role in spreading awareness at the grassroots.
The Ministry of Health’s data reveals that India is seeing a steady rise in organ donations, with over 3.3 lakh registered donors now on record and more than 1,000 deceased donors recorded for the first time in 2023.
NOTTO officials, including Secretary Nivedita Gupta, DGHS Dr. Sunita Gaur, and Joint Secretary Vivek Nehra, praised PGIMER’s commitment to transparent protocols and seamless coordination.States Shine at Indian Organ Donation Day with SOTTO Achievements Across India
Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana Recognised for Pioneering Efforts.
SOTTO Punjab was named the Best Emerging State in Organ Donation, reflecting the state’s growing commitment and recent surge in deceased donations.
SOTTO Rajasthan won the award for Best IEC and Awareness Activities, thanks to its innovative campaigns and grassroots outreach to dispel myths and encourage pledges.
SOTTO Maharashtra took home the title for Best Performance in Deceased Organ Donation, underscoring its robust hospital network and efficient transplant coordination system.
SOTTO Tamil Nadu, long seen as a trailblazer in the field, was given a Special Recognition Award for its sustained excellence and model practices.
SOTTO Telangana earned accolades for Excellence in Data Management and Coordination, showcasing how tech and teamwork can transform transplant logistics.
The national celebration, graced by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, also saw participation from health ministers, senior officials, transplant coordinators, NGOs, and donor families from across the country.
Minister Nadda called for turning organ donation into a “Jan Andolan”—a people’s movement driven by awareness, compassion, and collective resolve.
India’s organ donation network has steadily grown in recent years, crossing a major milestone with 1,000 deceased donors in 2023 for the first time.
More than 3.3 lakh people have pledged to donate their organs, and the momentum continues to rise with such commendable efforts at the state level.
As these states lead the charge in different spheres—awareness, coordination, performance—they’re lighting the way for others to follow. Together, they’re not just saving lives—they’re building a culture of giving.
In a region where myths and fears still hamper organ pledges, PGIMER is not just setting benchmarks—it is setting the tone for a movement that gives life to the living through the selfless acts of the departed.
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