On July 30, 2025, MOHAN Foundation (MF) conducted an awareness session on organ donation for bus conductors at the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Training School, Nand Nagri Depot, New Delhi. The session was led by Ms. Simran Anand, Programme Officer, MF NCR, with support from Ms. Sanya Santosh, also a Programme Officer at MF NCR.

Ms. Simran began the session with an introduction to MOHAN Foundation and an overview of the organ donation landscape in India. To provide participants with a deeper understanding of the issue, an informative film on brain stem death was screened.

The session covered several key aspects of organ donation, including:

• The significance of organ donation

• Who can be a donor

• Organ donation during life and after death

• The difference between brain death and coma

• The process of eye and skin donation, including corneal preservation after death

• Legal aspects under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994

• Common myths and facts surrounding organ donation

Ms. Simran highlighted the issue of organ trafficking, particularly the illegal trade in kidneys, and explained that such exploitation typically occurs through unauthorized living donor transplants. She emphasized the critical role of THOTA in regulating organ donation and protecting vulnerable individuals from commercial exploitation.

During the interactive session, one participant shared that his relative was suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD). He noted that the session had helped him better understand the legal and ethical process of identifying a suitable donor through proper channels. Another participant suggested that organ donation rates in India could be improved by offering benefits to donor families, such as employment, health insurance, and educational support.

Ms. Simran also informed participants that India has begun performing hand transplants after brain death. She cited the example of a man who lost both his upper limbs in a train accident and later underwent a successful bilateral hand transplant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.

She concluded the session by drawing attention to the organ donor option in the driving license application form. While opting to be a donor is voluntary, she encouraged participants to make informed and thoughtful decisions about the subject.

The session was well-received, with around 60 participants in attendance. Notably, one participant pledged to donate his organs on the spot.