The Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) is annually celebrated on 3rd August to commemorate the 1st successful deceased organ transplant in India. It is observed by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW).
- August 3, 2025, marks the 15th IODD observance in India.
Note:Â World Organ Donation Day is observed on 13 August in many parts of the world to raise awareness of Organ Donation.
Exam Hints:
- Day: Indian Organ Donation Day 2025
- Observed on:Â 3 August (annually)
- Edition: 15
- Why? To commemorate the 1st successful deceased organ transplant in India in 1994.
- Supporting bodies:Â NOTTO, under MoHFW
- Purpose: To raise public awareness on organ donation
- Events:Â Angdaan – Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyaan 2025
- Awards – Best ROTTO-ROTTO(North); Best SOTTO(State)-Tamil Nadu(TN), Best SOTTO (UT) – Puducherry.
- Additional Info: India ranks 3rd in organ donation after the USA and China.
Background:
Origin:Â The NOTTO started celebrating IODD in 2010, and until 2022, it was celebrated on 27 November.
Shift: Later in 2023, IODD was moved to 3rd August, to mark the anniversary of India’s 1st successful heart transplant.
India’s First Successful Heart Transplant :
Milestone: On 3rd August 1994, India achieved a historic medical breakthrough with its first successful heart transplant, conducted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Delhi
Leadership: The pioneering surgery was headed by Dr. Panangipalli Venugopal, then Chief of the Cardiothoracic Centre at AIIMS, and executed with the support of a dedicated team of 20 surgeons.
About Organ Donation:
Eligibility:Â Any person 18 years or older can voluntarily authorise the removal of their organ and/or tissue for donation.
Legal Framework: The promulgation of “The Transplantation of Human Organs Act“(THOA) in 1994 legalized the concept of brain death and deceased and living donor organ transplants in India.
- In 2011, the THOA Act was amended as the Transplantation of Human Organ and Tissues Act (THOTA).
2025 Event:
Overview:Â The 15th IODD ceremony was celebrated at Bhim Hall, Dr. Ambedkar International Centre(DAIC), New Delhi, Delhi.
Key Dignitaries: , Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, MoHFW, addressed the 15th IODD ceremony and presented awards to various institutions.
Highlights:Â Awareness booklet for the general public and students, the booklet on Promotion of Organ Health through Ayurveda and Yoga and the booklet on Best Practices of States in Organ Donation and Transplantation were released during the event.
Awards: The Regional/State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO/SOTTO) Award is presented to recognize and honor excellence in organ donation and transplantation services at the regional level across India.
| Award Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best ROTTO award | ROTTO North |
| Best SOTTO State | Tamil Nadu(TN) |
| Best SOTTO Union Territory (UT) | Puducherry |
| Best Northeast State | Manipur |
| Emerging States in Organ Donation | Odisha, Punjab, and Rajasthan |
| State with the best Awareness/ Information | Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat |
| Highest Deceased Organ Donation Rate | Telangana |
| Best NOTTO-Regional Centre (RC) | Civil Hospital, Surat (Gujarat) |
| Best Government Hospital in Transplantation | Kidney Disease Research Centre and Institute of Transplantation Sciences (KDRC-ITS), Gujarat |
| Emerging Government Institution | AIIMS, Nagpur(Maharashtra) |
| Best Brain Stem Death Certifying Team | Madras Medical College & Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, TN |
| Pioneering Eye Bank Work | National Eye Bank, AIIMS Delhi(New Delhi) |
| Special recognition | Dr. Raghavendran and Dr. Gomathi Karmegam (ROTTO South) |
About Angdaan – Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyaan 2025:
Campaign: It is a year-long public awareness campaign in India aimed at promoting organ and tissue donation.
- The campaign carries the tagline “One Pledge, Infinite Lives” and culminates on the 15th IODD.
Month: As part of the national campaign, Organ Donation Month was observed from 1st to 31st July 2025.
Activities: During this period, various awareness activities were conducted nationwide, including webinars, the setting up of pledging kiosks, and information booths to promote organ donation.
About NOTTO Annual Report 2025:
The MoHFW released NOTTO Annual Report 2024-25 during the 15th IODD ceremony held at New Delhi, Delhi
Key Initiative: The launch of an Aadhaar-linked pledge portal in 2023 further simplified the registration process, with over 3.3 lakh people registered to donate.
Network: It includes 5Â Regional Organ Transplant Organisation (ROTTO)Â and 25Â State Organ Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), connected to over 1010 hospitals for organ procurement and transplantation coordination.
Financial Initiative: A financial support of Rs. 15 lakhs for transplantation of kidneys, liver, heart and lungs under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi and Rs. 10,000 per month after the transplant for medical expenses is provided to poor patients.
Highlights: According to the NOTTO annual report 2025,
- India conducted 18,911 organ transplants during 2024, which is higher than 2023.
- It marked a significant rise in organ transplants, with only 4,990 recorded transplants in 2013.
- Currently, India ranks 3rd in organ donation globally, behind only the United States of America(USA) and China.
Challenges: India has a relative organ donation rate of 1% which is less compared to the population with over 63,000 individuals in need of kidney transplants, and around 22,000 for liver transplants.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW):
Union Minister-Â Jagat Prakash Nadda (Rajya Sabha- Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS)- Jadhav Prataprao Ganpatrao (Constituency- Buldhana, Maharashtra); Anupriya Patel (Constituency- Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, UP).