On May 26, 2026, the Division of Organ Transplant at AIIMS Rishikesh, in collaboration with the Rishikesh Eye Bank, AIIMS Rishikesh, and MOHAN Foundation, conducted an organ donation awareness session in the Urology OPD waiting area.

The session was conducted by Ms. Bindiya Bhatia, Counsellor, Rishikesh Eye Bank, AIIMS Rishikesh and Mr. Arun Sharma, Program Executive, MOHAN Foundation, Uttarakhand. The programme was attended by patient attendants, residents, nursing staff, and support staff, including bearers and housekeeping personnel, from the Department of Urology.

The session commenced with an address by Ms. Bindiya, who highlighted the achievements of the Rishikesh Eye Bank and provided detailed information on the process and importance of eye donation. She emphasized that eye donation can be facilitated even at home following a death and stressed the urgent need for corneal donations to help restore vision among individuals suffering from corneal blindness. Her session covered various aspects, including the role and functioning of an eye bank, causes of corneal blindness, donor eligibility criteria, tissue preservation methods, corneal evaluation procedures, and the process of pledging for corneal donation.

Mr. Arun Sharma continued the session by introducing MOHAN Foundation and highlighting its mission, vision, and ongoing efforts in the field of organ donation and transplantation. Through an informative and interactive talk, he explained key aspects of organ donation, including eligibility criteria for donors, living and deceased donation, the concept of brain death and how it differs from coma, eye and skin donation procedures, provisions under the Transplantation of Human Organs & Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, living kidney transplantation facilities available at AIIMS Rishikesh, and common myths and facts associated with organ donation.

He emphasized the urgent need for organ donation in India and encouraged participants to initiate informed discussions with their families, friends, and colleagues to foster a culture of awareness and acceptance.

Attendees appreciated the collaborative efforts of AIIMS Rishikesh and MOHAN Foundation and expressed their willingness to further disseminate awareness within their communities.

Approximately 30 individuals attended the session, and 2 participants pledged to donate their organs during the programme.