AIIMS Bhubaneswar wins national organ transplant award, only AIIMS so honoured
Synopsis
AIIMS Bhubaneswar is the only AIIMS in India to win the 'Emerging Government Institution in Organ Transplantation' award — and the numbers back it up. Transplants at the institute nearly quadrupled from 16 in 2024 to 63 in 2025, a growth rate that is reshaping the organ transplant map of Eastern India.
Key Takeaways
AIIMS Bhubaneswar received the 'Emerging Government Institution in Organ Transplantation' award at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day on 3 August 2025 in New Delhi .
It is the only AIIMS in the country to receive this recognition.
Transplant procedures surged from 16 in 2024 to 63 in 2025 — nearly a fourfold increase.
The institute has performed 78 kidney transplants in total, including 61 living donor and 17 deceased donor cases.
It has also facilitated six organ donations , four living donor liver transplants , and one deceased donor liver transplant .
The award was presented by Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel at an event organised by NOTTO under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Monday, 3 August 2025, received the prestigious 'Emerging Government Institution in Organ Transplantation' award at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) celebrations in New Delhi. The institute is the only AIIMS in the country to receive this recognition, underscoring its rapid rise as a transplant centre of excellence in Eastern India.
The Award and Who Presented It
The honour was conferred by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilisers, Anupriya Patel, at an event organised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Senior officials present included Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Loveneesh G. Krishna, Director General of Health Services; Vijay Nehra, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; and Anil Kumar, Director, NOTTO.
Accepting the award on behalf of the institution were Anita Saxena, President; Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director and CEO; Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy, Medical Superintendent; and Bramhadatta Pattnaik, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology.
The Numbers Behind the Recognition
The award reflects a striking surge in transplant activity. AIIMS Bhubaneswar performed 16 transplants in 2024, a figure that jumped to 63 in 2025 — nearly a fourfold increase in a single year. Since the launch of its transplant programme, the institute has conducted 78 kidney transplants in total, comprising 61 living donor and 17 deceased donor procedures. It has also facilitated six organ donations, four living donor liver transplants, and one deceased donor liver transplant.
What the Leadership Said
Executive Director and CEO Ashutosh Biswas said the award was a reflection of collective effort. 'AIIMS Bhubaneswar remains committed to expanding transplant services and strengthening organ donation awareness across Eastern India,' he said. Biswas also acknowledged donor families whose decisions had saved lives, noting the contribution of transplant teams, intensive care specialists, nursing staff, coordinators, and support personnel.
Broader Significance for Eastern India
Organ transplantation infrastructure in eastern India has historically lagged behind western and southern counterparts. AIIMS Bhubaneswar's recognition signals a shift in that geography, with the institute actively running community outreach and awareness campaigns alongside its clinical programme. Notably, this is the only AIIMS in India to receive this particular national honour, lending institutional credibility to Odisha's growing role in advanced healthcare delivery.
With sectoral momentum building and government recognition now formalised, AIIMS Bhubaneswar is positioned to further scale its transplant capacity and donor mobilisation efforts across the region.
Point of View
Mumbai, or Delhi for transplants; this recognition suggests that gap is beginning to close. The harder test ahead is sustaining deceased donor rates, which remain low nationally, and whether community outreach translates into measurable increases in donor registrations rather than awareness alone. The 'only AIIMS' distinction is a headline, but the real metric will be whether this growth curve holds over the next three years.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What award did AIIMS Bhubaneswar win at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day?
AIIMS Bhubaneswar received the 'Emerging Government Institution in Organ Transplantation' award at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day on 3 August 2025 in New Delhi. It is the only AIIMS in India to receive this honour, which was presented by Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel at an event organised by NOTTO.
How many organ transplants has AIIMS Bhubaneswar performed?
The institute has performed 78 kidney transplants in total — 61 from living donors and 17 from deceased donors. It has also facilitated six organ donations, four living donor liver transplants, and one deceased donor liver transplant since its transplant programme began.
Why did AIIMS Bhubaneswar's transplant numbers rise so sharply?
Transplant procedures at AIIMS Bhubaneswar grew from 16 in 2024 to 63 in 2025, reflecting rapid capacity expansion and a stronger transplant team. Officials attributed the growth to teamwork across transplant specialists, intensive care units, nursing staff, and coordinators, as well as increased organ donation awareness campaigns.
What is NOTTO and why does its award matter?
The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) functions under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is the apex body overseeing organ donation and transplantation in India. Its awards are considered the highest national recognition in the transplant sector, making AIIMS Bhubaneswar's win significant for the institution and for Eastern India's healthcare profile.
What are AIIMS Bhubaneswar's plans for organ transplantation going forward?
According to Executive Director Ashutosh Biswas, AIIMS Bhubaneswar is committed to expanding transplant services and strengthening organ donation awareness across Eastern India. The institute is also continuing community outreach and awareness campaigns to promote voluntary organ donation in the region.
