The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has won the National Award for Best Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) for the third consecutive year, also securing its fourth overall national title since the award's inception in 2019. The recognition cements PGIMER's standing as India's leading organ donation coordination institution in the northern region.

The Award and Ceremony

The honour was presented at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day celebrations held in New Delhi, organised under the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel conferred the award, commending the winning institutions for their contributions to strengthening India's organ donation movement and upholding ethical, transparent, and equitable transplantation practices.

The award was received on behalf of PGIMER Director Prof Vivek Lal by a senior institutional delegation that included Medical Superintendent Prof Ashok Kumar, Prof Dheeraj Khurana, Prof Hemant Bhagat, Dr Vijay Tadia, and Saryu D. Madra.

What PGIMER's Director Said

Prof Vivek Lal called the recognition 'a proud moment for the entire PGIMER family,' adding that it 'reflects our sustained commitment to advancing organ donation and transplantation through excellence in patient care, innovation, and teamwork.'

He further paid tribute to the institution's frontline staff and donor families: 'This honour belongs to our dedicated healthcare professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Above all, it is a tribute to the donor families whose extraordinary courage and generosity continue to transform loss into hope and save countless lives.'

PGIMER's Role as ROTTO North

Designated as ROTTO North, PGIMER coordinates organ donation and transplantation across northern India. Prof Lal outlined the institution's broader mandate — mentorship, capacity building, professional training, and institutional collaboration — saying the goal is to 'empower every state and transplant centre to build sustainable and efficient transplant programmes.'

This is the third year in a row that PGIMER has outperformed peer ROTTO centres nationally, a track record that officials say reflects both operational depth and a culture of donor-family engagement that other institutions are now benchmarking against.

Who Was Present

The ceremony drew senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, secretaries and officers from states and Union Territories, heads of leading healthcare institutions, transplant professionals, donor and recipient families, transplant coordinators, and civil society organisations active in the organ donation space across India.

With India's organ donation rate still among the lowest globally relative to its population, PGIMER's consecutive recognition signals a rare bright spot — and a replicable model that NOTTO has been pushing other regional centres to study and adopt.