Vice-President opens National Organ Transplant Games, says one donor can save up to eight lives

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the National Organ Transplant Games 2026 at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday, calling organ donation a "Mahadaan" through which hope can endure even in the face of loss.

He described the Games as a celebration of courage, determination, compassion and the gift of life, and as "much more than a sporting event". He congratulated the Renal Care Foundation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) of the Health Ministry for the initiative.

The message

Radhakrishnan said one deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives. He paid respects to deceased donors and their families and thanked living donors. He called for awareness to dispel myths about organ donation and for people to share their wishes with their families.

He recalled the sacrifice of Maharshi Dadhichi as a symbol of giving for the greater good, and noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on the subject in his Mann Ki Baat addresses had given the movement impetus.

What happened at the event

• The Vice-President released the "Zindagi Dobara" calendar and honoured medal winners of the World Transplant Games 2025, held in Dresden, Germany.
• He watched 570 transplant recipients and donors perform Tadasana together. The World Book of Records, New Delhi, presented a certificate for the "Largest congregation of Transplant recipients and donors performing Tadasana".
• He took the Organ Donation Pledge with the gathering and watched exhibition matches in kabaddi, table tennis and badminton.

Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav and Lok Sabha MP Bansuri Swaraj were among those present.

He closed by urging a society in which "more patients receive transplants and fewer lives are lost waiting for organs".

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Source: official release by the Vice President's Secretariat, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (01 NOV 2026 2:34PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Vice-President Inaugurates National Organ Transplant Games 2026; Calls Organ Donation a ‘Mahadaan’.