India Observes 16th Indian Organ Donation Day with Record Transplant Achievements
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare marked the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day on August 3, 2026, celebrating India's significant progress in organ transplantation. The event, organized by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), highlighted the government's commitment to strengthening the organ donation ecosystem while honoring deceased organ donors and their families.
Record-Breaking Transplantation Numbers and Global Ranking
India achieved its highest ever annual organ transplant count in 2025 with 20,138 procedures performed, representing a 6.5% increase over the 18,911 transplants conducted in 2024. This marks a fourfold increase from the 4,990 transplants recorded in 2013. India now ranks third globally in total organ transplants, behind only the United States and China, and retains its world leadership position in living donor organ transplants. Deceased donor transplants showed particularly strong growth, increasing more than fourfold from 837 in 2013 to 3,526 in 2025.
Digital Initiatives and Public Participation
The government reported that over five lakh Aadhaar-verified organ donation pledges have been registered since the launch of the national digital pledge portal in 2023, with 2.58 lakh citizens pledging to donate their organs and tissues in 2025 alone. This growing participation is attributed to sustained awareness efforts and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public appeals. The institutional network now includes NOTTO, five Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs), 26 State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs), and approximately 1,200 registered hospitals across 31 States and Union Territories.
New Initiatives Launched
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel launched several key initiatives: the 'Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan' nationwide awareness campaign to promote organ donation in every community; the 'e-प्रत्यारोपण' unified digital platform to create a seamless, transparent organ donation ecosystem; and the NOTTO Mobile Application for easier access to transplantation services. Additionally, the National Brain Stem Death Certification Guidelines and National Guidelines on Swap Transplantation were released to standardize practices and strengthen policy implementation.
Infrastructure and Financial Support
The government continues to provide financial assistance to States under the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) for infrastructure strengthening, donor maintenance, organ retrieval, and transportation. Kidney transplantation has been included in the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana health benefit package, with additional financial assistance available for economically weaker patients through Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi. The expanding network of over 20,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras improves access to affordable post-transplant medications. Ten new AIIMS now provide kidney transplantation services, with AIIMS Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar, Patna, and Rishikesh initiating liver transplantation, and AIIMS Bhopal commencing heart transplantation.
Recognition and Awards
The event included presentation of National Organ Donation Awards to various stakeholders: PGIMER, Chandigarh received Best ROTTO (Northern Region); Tamil Nadu was recognized for highest number of deceased organ donors; Assam received Best State in North Eastern Region; and Delhi was honored as Best Union Territory. Hospitals, transplant professionals, and other stakeholders were also awarded for excellence in organ transplantation and retrieval services. Donor families from across the country were felicitated for their contributions.