Do you know how will Organ Donation help residents of New Delhi?

Pradip Bhandari, the CEO and founder of Jan Ki Baat talked to Mr.Alok Singh, the President of Dadichi Deh Dan Samiti about the inspiration behind the organisation, its work and future programs. Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti is a registered Public Charitable Society. Its fields of work include organ donation, body donation, blood donation, stem-cell donation, registry and other causes for persons with disability.

The Samiti spreads awareness, motivates; registers pledges for body/organ donation and after death of a donor co-ordinates the donation between his family and the medical institution.

It was started in 1997 and gets its inspiration from Maharshi Dadhichi. Dadhichi is primarily known for sacrificing his life so the Devas or benevolent Gods, could make the weapon called “vajra” from his bones. Hence, this is not a new concept but something which has been going on since ages. Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti has donated more than 200 bodies, 500 eyes, bones, skins for skin banks and blood. All India Institute says that post death, the cornea doesn’t rot and a pair of eyes can be used for 4-5 people.

There are over 2 lakhs road accidents in India per year. Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti along with the government and Medical council of India help donate the bodies for the needy. As per the Medical council of India regulations, in case a person is brain-dead, the treating doctor advises the family to donate the organs of the patient. According to the Transplantation of Humans Organs Act, in case of death, the doctors advise the family to donate the eyes.

Indian philosophy dwells on the principal of soul. Mr.Alok Singh recounted one of his previous experiences where his friend declined to donate his eyes post his death lest he would be born blind in his next birth. Mr.Singh reacted to this using a subtle humour by saying that if a person donates his entire body, he would be born without a form or a body in his next birth.

People are largely supporting organ and body donation. In the last two months, Rotary club, Loyals club, Medical colleges, Arya Samaj, IMA and gurudwaras have supported Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti’s cause. Saints like Shri Shri Ravi Sankar, Didi Maa Ritambharaji and Murari Bapu have interviewed for Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti. With their videos uploaded on YouTube, people are gaining trust in the organisation and are ready to work for the same. The committee works to mobilize the older population to donate their body for the cause.

Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti mainly works in Delhi NCR but it advertises Organ donation and spreads technical know-how throughout the country.

Mr.Alok Singh had a mental picture where his body was laid down on after his death. People had ambivalent feelings about this death and soon his body was to be used by medical college students. It was then that he realized that he is not his body, he is a pure and free soul. It was a deep spiritual movement. Dadhichi inspires the youth to detach themselves from their body and to look at their organs as a trustee where they live in a free world and a free realm of the endless soul.