PMC Flags Off Organ Donation Dindi Ahead Of Ashadhi Wari Procession

Panvel, July 3: The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC), in association with the Dhanvantaris Organisation for Socio-Health Transformation (DOST), on Thursday flagged off an Organ Donation and Health Services Dindi ahead of the Ashadhi Wari Palkhi procession, with civic leaders, medical experts and social organisations calling for greater awareness on organ donation.

The flag-off ceremony and the DOST Dindi Awards were held at the Adya Krantiveer Vasudev Balwant Phadke Natyagruha in Panvel.

Awards And Dignitaries

During the event, Panvel Mayor Nitin Patil, K.C. Luthia, president of Manav Jyot Charitable Trust, former Maharashtra Director General of Health Services Dr Subhash Salunkhe, vascular surgeon Dr Gustad Davar, and Vijay Kasurde, president of Vaishnav Charitable Trust, were honoured with the Dindi Award for their contributions.

The programme was chaired by PMC Additional Commissioner Ganesh Shete and attended by Deputy Mayor Pramila Patil, Standing Committee chairman Baban Mukadam, corporators Ajay Bahira and Sumit Jhunjarrao, among others.

Chief Passenger Transportation Manager of Central Railway Dr Milind Hirve and former president of Sant Tukaram Maharaj Sansthan, Dehu, H.B.P. Ramdas Maharaj More attended as chief guests. Officials from DOST Mumbai, including transplant surgeon Dr Kailas Jawade, secretary Dr Govind Jawade, president Vaishali Bande, Pramod Chunchuwar and chief advisor Dr Vatsala Trivedi, also participated.

Officials from the PMC Medical Department, including Chief Medical Officer Dr Anand Gosavi, Medical Officers Dr Bhaktaraj Bhoite and Dr Suresh Pandit, and Leprosy Officer Dr Usha Rathod, were present.

Awareness Drive Highlighted

The event featured a devotional cultural programme titled Hechi Daan Dega, presented by the DOST Cultural Forum and Nritya Navrasa Academy. Students also staged a short play highlighting the importance of organ donation, while organisations and individuals working to promote the cause were felicitated.

An organ donation pledge card and an information booklet on organ donation were also unveiled. Speakers emphasised the need to spread awareness about organ donation, strengthen public health education and encourage citizens to take a pledge to donate organs for the benefit of society.

Addressing the gathering, Ramdas Maharaj More said that the Wari tradition has long been associated with the spirit of selfless giving and noted that one person’s organ donation can save multiple lives.

Campaign To Join Palkhi

The awareness dindi was ceremonially flagged off by Mayor Nitin Patil and will join the Ashadhi Wari Palkhi procession from July 9. Besides promoting organ donation, this year’s campaign will organise FibroScan screening camps for liver disease and support the establishment and strengthening of Non-Transplant Organ Retrieval Centres (NTORCs) in towns along the palkhi route.

In a significant gesture, Mayor Nitin Patil signed a body donation pledge form during the programme and appealed to citizens to overcome myths and misconceptions surrounding organ and body donation.

"Organ donation is an act that gives others a chance to live. Citizens should come forward and take this pledge for the greater good of society," the mayor said.

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