Indian Army Sets National Record, Wins Special NOTTO Award for Largest Single-Day Organ Donation Pledge

In a remarkable show of solidarity and humanitarian commitment, the Indian Army was honoured today by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) for achieving a groundbreaking national record in organ donation pledges. Over 26,000 Indian Army personnel pledged their organs during an unprecedented single-day campaign, setting a new benchmark in India's organ donation drive.

The Special Award for Promotion of Organ Donation and Pledging was presented at the 15th Annual Organ Donation Day function held in the national capital. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J.P. Nadda, handed over the award to the Indian Army's medical teams representing Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa regions. Appreciating their efforts, Minister Nadda hailed the Indian Army's exemplary contribution as instrumental in driving public awareness and participation towards organ donation across the country.

NOTTO, operating under the Directorate General of Health Services within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, serves as India's apex authority responsible for managing and regulating the National Organ Transplant Program. It ensures an effective, equitable, and systematic approach to organ procurement and distribution nationwide.

Organ donation within the Indian Armed Forces began in earnest in the late 2000s, spearheaded by the Armed Forces Organ Retrieval and Transplantation Authority (AORTA) based at the prestigious Army Hospital (Research & Referral) in New Delhi. Over the years, military hospitals under AORTA have developed significant expertise in complex organ transplant procedures involving vital organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and tissues, including cornea.

The national recognition highlights not only the Indian Army's extraordinary ability to mobilise its personnel for a noble cause but also highlights its expanding role in public health initiatives and life-saving humanitarian interventions.