Chandigarh, February 22
Amid the vibrant hues and festive spirit of the Rose Festival in Chandigarh, the Organ Donation Awareness and Pledge Camp organised by the Regional Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, from February 20 to 22, emerged as a compelling platform for awareness, dialogue and collective commitment towards saving lives.
During the three-day outreach, 139 citizens formally pledged for organ donation, while hundreds more visited the stall to understand the legal framework, medical safeguards and humanitarian impact of organ and tissue donation. The ROTTO stall witnessed heartfelt participation from across the region. Babita Arora, accompanied by her husband, shared that pledging had been on her mind for years and that the festival provided the perfect moment to take that step. Diya from Derabassi completed her pledge and encouraged her friends to come forward, describing organ donation as “a responsibility beyond one’s lifetime.”
Manju and Sandeep Kumar from Hisar not only pledged together but also spent considerable time interacting with counsellors, expressing that organ donation reflects the true spirit of humanity. They shared that they would initiate conversations within their extended family to build wider awareness. Similarly, Pinder Singh from Baltana, Charanjeet Singh from Mohali, Rajesh Kumar from Chandigarh and Mayank Kathait from Patiala pledged and described the decision as “a small step that could mean a second chance at life for someone else.” All of them echoed a shared sentiment — that donating organs is an enduring legacy of compassion.
Several visitors who pledged also raised thoughtful queries before taking the final step. Vikas Malhotra from Ambala asked whether organ donation would cause any financial burden to the donor’s family. Shalini Mehta from Rohtak sought clarity on transparency in organ allocation and waiting lists. Gurpreet Singh from Hoshiarpur enquired about safeguards in place to prevent misuse or commercial exploitation. Each query was addressed comprehensively; reassuring them that organ donation in India is governed by a stringent legal and ethical framework with clearly defined medical protocols and transparent allocation systems.
Those who pledged were presented with appreciation certificates, small commemorative tokens and awareness goodies as a gesture of gratitude for their noble commitment. The recognition added a celebratory dimension to an already meaningful decision. Beyond statistics, the camp reflected a growing societal openness to understanding organ donation as a shared social responsibility and a life-affirming act of generosity.
