PGI best regional organ transplant centre

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here reaffirmed its leadership in the national organ donation landscape by winning the Best Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) Award for the second year in a row at the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day event held in New Delhi today. This marks the PGI’s third national win since the award’s inception in 2019, underlining its consistent excellence in promoting cadaver organ donation across northern India.

The award ceremony, held at the Dr BR Ambedkar International Centre, was organised under the aegis of the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). The event was graced by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Chemicals & Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda. He commended the collective efforts made across India to foster ethical organ donation and enhance public awareness.

The award was received by a delegation of the PGI, led by Prof Vivek Lal, Director; alongside Pankaj Rai, Deputy Director (Administration); Prof Vipin Koushal, Medical Superintendent and Nodal Officer, ROTTO PGIMER; and Saryu D Madra, Consultant (IEC/Media).

The PGI also bagged the Best Brain Stem Death (BSD) Declaration Team award, in recognition of its timely, transparent and ethical donor identification as well as management practices. The award was received by a team comprising Prof Kajal Jain, Prof Rajesh Chhabra, Prof Ashish Sharma, Dr Rajeev Chauhan, Dr Hemant Bhagat and Dr Shanky Singh, who were led by Prof Lal and Prof Koushal.

Prof Lal said, “This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to saving lives through ethical organ donation. It reflects the trust the donor families, healthcare teams and policymakers place in the PGIMER.”

Echoing the sentiment, Prof Koushal said, “This is not just a victory for PGIMER, but for every life transformed through organ donation. It highlights the profound humanitarian spirit behind our work.”

The ceremony saw a touching moment when Krishna, a heart transplant recipient, was felicitated alongside his parents Bhupinder and Madhu. Their emotional presence underscored the life-changing impact of organ donation and served as a reminder of the real lives behind the statistics.

In addition to its ROTTO wins in 2019, 2024 and 2025, the PGI has been honoured four times as the Best Hospital in Deceased Organ Donation (from 2015 to 2020), and recognised in 2022-23 as the Union Territory body with the Highest Number of Deceased Donors.

Pankaj Rai remarked, “This achievement belongs to every member of our ROTTO North team and, above all, to the courageous donor families. Through initiatives like Project Sarathi, we are committed to taking this noble cause to students and communities alike.”

Since being designated as ROTTO North in 2015, the PGIMER has led organ donation efforts across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chandigarh. With its mission-driven focus, the institute continues to set national benchmarks in promoting cadaver organ donation and transplant coordination.