Indian Organ Donation Day 2025 Observed on August 3 to Mark India’s First Deceased Organ Transplant.

Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) is observed annually across India on 3rd August to commemorate the country’s first successful deceased organ transplant. It is organized by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The 2025 observance marks the 15th edition of this national event aimed at raising awareness on organ donation.

      - Indian Organ Donation Day 2025 was observed on 3rd August and marked the 15th official celebration of the event. The date is significant as it commemorates the anniversary of India’s first successful heart transplant, shifting the observance from 27th November (used until 2022) to 3rd August beginning in 2023.

      - The event was conducted under the leadership of NOTTO, which functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The main function of IODD 2025 was held at Bhim Hall, Dr. Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC), New Delhi, and was attended by senior health officials, dignitaries, medical professionals, and organ donation activists.

      - The IODD was originally launched in 2010 by NOTTO and celebrated every year on 27th November until the change in 2023. The shift to 3rd August was made to align the observance with the date of India’s first heart transplant, which was a landmark event in the country's medical history and took place at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi on 3rd August 1994.

Main Point :-   (i) Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, was present at the event and addressed the gathering. During the ceremony, he honored individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to the field of organ donation and transplantation. He also emphasized the importance of public awareness and the government’s efforts to promote ethical and accessible transplant services.

      (ii) Two new awareness booklets were released during the celebration. One booklet is designed for the general public and students and promotes organ health through Ayurveda and Yoga. The second booklet focuses on sharing the Best Practices of States in organ donation and transplantation, and both aim to enhance public engagement and participation in the national organ donation movement.

(iii) The significance of 3rd August in Indian medical history stems from the country’s first successful heart transplant performed in 1994 at AIIMS, New Delhi. This surgical breakthrough laid the foundation for India’s organ transplant framework, which continues to grow under the leadership of NOTTO, contributing to saving countless lives through deceased donor programs.