Union Minister JP Nadda honours Ropar family for organ donation of brain-dead son
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 2, 2025 – In a deeply moving ceremony on the occasion of the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day, Union Health Minister Shri J.P. Nadda honoured Havildar Naresh Kumar and his family for their courageous and compassionate decision to donate the organs of their 18-year-old son, Arshdeep, who was declared brain dead following a tragic road accident.
The ceremony, titled "Angdaan", was organized by the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, and served as a tribute to the families who, even in their darkest hour, chose to give the gift of life to others.
Fighting back grief, Hav Naresh Kumar—posted in Ropar district—made the heart-wrenching but heroic decision to allow doctors to retrieve Arshdeep’s liver, kidneys, pancreas, and corneas. His selfless act has since saved or transformed the lives of multiple recipients across the country.
The organ retrieval was meticulously coordinated by the Army transplant team of Chandimandir Command Hospital.
In a race against time, a green corridor was created to transport Arshdeep’s liver and kidney to the Army Hospital Research and Referral in New Delhi, while the Indian Air Force assisted in rapid airlift. The second kidney and pancreas were transplanted to a critically ill patient at PGIMER, Chandigarh, while the corneas were preserved at the Command Hospital’s Eye Bank.
Minister Nadda, while honouring the family, said, “This is not just a story of loss—it is a story of hope, courage, and humanity. Arshdeep lives on in those he has saved. His parents have given the country a gift that words can never fully capture.”
The event also shone a spotlight on the tireless work of the Chandimandir Command Hospital, which has been recognized as the Best Organ Retrieval Centre by the Government of India for its consistent contribution to organ donation.
At its core, this story is a reminder of the extraordinary humanity that exists even amidst personal tragedy. In giving life to others, Hav Naresh Kumar and his family have created a legacy of compassion that will never fade.