15th March 2023, New Delhi: ORGAN India, The Organ Receiving & Giving Awareness Network (ORGAN) India, an initiative of the Parashar Foundation hosted a press conference on the 15th of March. This unique endeavour came in the wake of the World Transplant Games to be held in Perth, Australia in April 2023.
The conference was for the players who will be representing India at the World Transplant Games, including Mr. Karhun Nanda, Captain, Indian Contingent at the World Transplant Games; Mr. Balveer Singh, Badminton Player, and World Transplant Games Medallist; Mr. Dharmendra Soti, Badminton Player and World Transplant Games Medallist, Mr. Digvijay Singh Gujral, Squash Player and World Transplant Games Medallist.
“I wish all the best to every athlete participating at World Transplant Games 2023, in Australia. Since I was trained in Australia and had an Australian coach, I want the entire team to totally enjoy fish and chips there as this was something I was fed before I became No.1.The team will rock and bring laurels for the country. All the best”, shared Mr. Ronjan Sodhi, Arjuna Award and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee, Mentor, Manav Rachna Sports Science Centre.
Anika Parashar, Founder Chairperson, ORGAN India shared, “We celebrate 10 years of ORGAN India. I founded ORGAN India because my mother, the late Ms Kirti Parashar required a heart transplant in 2013 and now to think, 10 years down the road, we are taking 30 Indian athletes who are either recipients of organs or donors for transplants themselves to Australia to compete in the World Transplant Games! I am proud to know them all, proud that ORGAN India is getting the opportunity to manage the team and support them. I am deeply grateful to our supporters – Manav Rachna group, Dr O P Bhalla Foundation, Dinesh Vyas Trust, Sports Docs, G K Winding, To The New, EXL, Give India, Whistling Woods, Our Trustees and each member of ORGAN India with whose support we are here.
This confluence of industry veterans and philanthropists as speakers included Ms Anika Parashar, Founder Chairperson, ORGAN India; Ms Kunti Jhaveri, Managing Trustee, Dinesh Vyas Public Charitable Trust; Mr. Ronjan Sodhi, Arjuna Award and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee, Mentor, Manav Rachna Sports Science Centre, Ms. Priti Agarwal, Director, Geekay Winding; Dr N C Wadhwa (IAS Retd.), Director General, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions.
The Guest of Honour, Dr. NC Wadhwa (IAS Retd.), Director General, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions shared, “Manav Rachna Educational Institutions and Dr O P Bhalla Foundation in partnership with ORGAN India are pleased to host the training camps of the Athletes representing India at World Transplant Games in Perth this year. The athletes registered with ORGAN INDIA were sponsored under Dr OP Bhalla Foundation. They received world class sports science and rehabilitation facilities with the primary goal of enhancing the sporting performance through physio, nutritional and psychological counselling along with extensive sports training. These athletes are a true shining example of resilience and I wish them all the very best for the upcoming games.”
The conference also unveiled the theme song for Team India at the World Transplant Games. The song has been developed in collaboration with Whistling Woods International. It has been Sung & Composed by Raag Suri, Music Produced by Mukut Raj Kashyap, Additional Production by Robin Pawar, written by Mayur Puri & Hemabh Garg, mixed by Raag Suri & Robin Pawar and Mastered by Robin Pawar & Ugam Khetani.
About ORGAN India:
Organ Receiving & Giving Awareness Network (ORGAN) India is an initiative of the Parashar Foundation a non-profit organization based in Delhi. It is also supported by the Vijaya Gujral Foundation another non-profit organization. ORGAN India Project was initiated in 2013 after the former Chairperson, Late Ms. Kirti Parashar was told that she needed a heart transplant. Thanks to a generous organ donor, Kirti Parashar got a new heart which was transplanted into her on December 13th, 2013.
The family initially underwent a lot of struggles and realized that there was an urgent and pressing need to raise awareness about organ donation, hence started ORGAN India under the umbrella of the Parashar Foundation. Today, it has become one of the key organizations in India working on the issue of organ donation and has a Pan-India presence working under the aegis of the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).