An awareness session on organ and tissue donation was conducted on September 11, 2025, at VPM’s R.Z. Shah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mulund East, Mumbai. The event was organized by the college’s National Service Scheme (N.S.S.) unit under the guidance of Mr. Mangesh, the head of the unit. Ms. Sakshi Kshirsagar, who works as a Project Manager at MOHAN Foundation, was invited as the guest speaker for the day. She conducted two sessions – one in the morning for students of the N.S.S. unit and another in the afternoon for students from the Science Association. She began each session by briefly explaining the role of N.S.S., helping students feel at ease and involved before introducing the core topic of organ donation. She engaged the students by asking, “Do you know you can donate your organs?” and encouraged participation by asking them to raise their hands if they were aware.
Ms. Sakshi then explained the meaning of organ donation and the two main types of donors – living and deceased. She asked whether there is any age limit for organ donation and clarified this with real-life examples. The session went on to cover the types of death relevant to organ donation, particularly brain stem death and cardiac death. She explained the difference between coma and brain stem death, a topic that often causes confusion. Ms. Sakshi also discussed how different countries handle organ donation through systems like presumed consent, opt-in, and opt-out, comparing global statistics with India's relatively lower donation rates. She took time to debunk several common myths and misconceptions surrounding organ and tissue donation, encouraging students to think critically and ask questions.
The session concluded with an active question-and-answer segment where students asked about time limits for organ donation and transplantation, whether skin can be donated from home, and if organ donation is possible for someone who dies outside a hospital. Ms. Sakshi responded to each query with clarity and factual information, leaving a strong impression on the attendees. Overall, the session was highly informative and impactful, helping raise awareness on a crucial and often misunderstood topic. A total of 250 students attended the two sessions, making the event a great success. The college expressed its sincere thanks to Ms. Sakshi Kshirsagar for her engaging and enlightening presentation, and to Mr. Mangesh and the N.S.S. unit for organizing such a valuable program.
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