On November 22, 2019, MOHAN Foundation conducted an awareness session on organ donation for the students and faculty of IIM Ahmedabad. Mr. Venkatesh Muthuraman from ‘Panacea’ – the health club of IIMA (a student led initiative) organized & coordinated the talk. Ms Pallavi Kumar, Programme Manager MOHAN Foundation was the resource person.

The talk was a part of a very unique initiative where a private company, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance has joined hands with MOHAN Foundation to create awareness on organ donation and to encourage pledging for this important, life-saving cause. The insurance brand launched a month-long drive called #NoMoreWaiting on November 5, 2019 in Mumbai to inform, educate and mobilize support for the cause with MOHAN Foundation (knowledge partner) and other stakeholders. 

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) was established on 11 December 1961 with the active support of the Government of India, the Government of Gujarat, Harvard Business School, and prominent members of Indian industry. The physicist Vikram Sarabhai and businessman Kasturbhai Lalbhai, both natives of Ahmedabad, played pivotal roles in setting up the institute. The institute offers master's degree programmes in management and agri-business management, a fellowship programme and a number of executive training programmes.

Dr. Rajesh Chandwani, Chairperson, Centre for Management of Health Services (CMHS, IIM, Ahmedabad) welcomed MOHAN Foundation and Edelweiss and congratulated them on the initiative. He shared that IIMA has already been involved in the cause of organ donation and has undertaken research in the area. He then invited Mr Kumar Gaurav (DVP - Brand and Content) from Edelweiss who shared the company’s vision for organ donation and the campaign. He also shared the findings of a research conducted by the company on organ donation awareness amongst the general public and the various myths and misconceptions that people have. He also showed some motivational films developed as part of the campaign.

After this Ms Pallavi Kumar explained the basic concepts of organ donation, the need for it in today’s time when many people are suffering from end-stage organ failure, laws and legal processes involved in organ donation, why India lags behind European countries that have higher organ donation rate and reasons for the huge gap between demand and supply of organs by means of a simple PowerPoint presentation.

When explaining the concept of brain death, a short video was shown on the said subject. After watching the video, the students had better clarity about brain death and that it is different from coma. Various myths around organ donation with their corresponding reality check were also discussed. 

The students had a lot of queries which were addressed by the resource person. Post this many of the students and faculty members signed up for organ donation and a vote of thanks was given by Mr. Venkatesh.