On August 14, 2025, Mr. Gabriel Pereira, an Organ Donation Ambassador with the MOHAN Foundation, was invited to deliver an awareness talk on organ donation at Rosary College of Commerce and Arts in Navelim, Goa, for the commerce students.

Mr. Pereira began by introducing himself and the MOHAN Foundation, emphasising its long-standing commitment to promoting organ donation through an engaging video presentation. He shared a personal experience with transplantation in his family that inspired him to become an advocate for this cause in Goa. He encouraged the students to take the conversation beyond the college, urging them to inspire their families and friends to support this life-saving mission.

He asked the students whether a person who passes away at home can be an organ donor. Most students responded affirmatively. He clarified that individuals who die at home cannot donate organs but can still donate tissues, such as skin and eyes, and, in some cases, their entire body. Mr. Pereira also inquired if the students knew which hospitals in Goa perform transplants and which organs or tissues are transplanted. After hearing their responses, he explained that currently, only kidney and corneal transplants are conducted in the state.

He mentioned that Indian Organ Donation Day is commemorated on August 3, elaborating that the Transplantation of Human Organs Act was passed on July 8, 1994, and that India’s first successful heart transplant surgery was performed by a team led by Dr. P. Venugopal at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on August 3 of that same year.

Using a PowerPoint presentation, he explained which organs can be donated after brain death, how organ allocation works. He discussed the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (Transplant Law) and how to obtain a donor card.

To further reinforce his message, he recommended the film “Aye Zindagi”, available on YouTube, which is based on the true story of Vinay, a software engineer diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, and his journey with grief counsellor Revathy Rajan. Her character is inspired by Lalitha Raghuram, Country Director of MOHAN Foundation, who made the courageous decision to donate her son’s organs after his passing.

Approximately 100 students attended the session, and flyers addressing frequently asked questions about organ donation were distributed to all participants.