APC Annual Sports Meet at PGIMER Promotes Organ Donation Awareness

Sportsmanship, Well-being and Organ Donation: A Winning Combination to Save Lives” — Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh

Chandigarh:  The *Advanced Paediatric Centre (APC), Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh,* organised its *Annual Sports Meet on October 11, 2026* , at the *PGIMER Sports Complex* , *in collaboration with the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO North), PGIMER* . The event combined sports, fitness, camaraderie and the important message of organ donation awareness.

Dr. Vijay Tadia Nodal Officer ROTTO North presenting momento on organ doantion to Prof. Praveen Kumar, Head of the Department of Paediatrics, Advanced Paediatric Centre, PGIMER , during sports meet

Held under the theme *“Champions on the Field, Heroes Beyond: Celebrating Sports and the Spirit of Organ Donation,”* the sports meet aimed to promote a spirit of teamwork, healthy competition and community participation while sensitising participants to the noble cause of organ donation.

Commending the initiative, *Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh,* stated,  “Such sporting events provide a refreshing break from demanding clinical duties, helping ease burnout while fostering team spirit, camaraderie and well-being among healthcare professionals. Integrating organ donation awareness with sporting events is a meaningful way to engage the community and promote this life-saving cause. Such initiatives help sensitise people, encourage informed conversations and inspire individuals to come forward for organ donation. I appreciate the organisers for combining the spirit of sportsmanship with the noble mission of saving lives through organ donation.”.

Enthusiastic participation at Lemon and spoon race

  *Prof. Sanjay Jain, Dean (Academics), PGIMER* , also appreciated the event stated, “Academics and sports go hand in hand, as a healthy mind thrives in a healthy body. The importance of sports in promoting physical well-being, mental resilience and overall development cannot be underestimated.”

*Prof. Praveen Kumar, Head of the Department of Paediatrics, Advanced Paediatric Centre, PGIMER* , appreciated the initiative and stated,  "the value of organising activities that bring people together for a meaningful social cause. He noted that sports promote teamwork, discipline and a healthy spirit of participation, while the inclusion of organ donation awareness adds a significant humanitarian dimension to the event."

Senior faculty, resident doctors and family members participated enthusiastically in the sports meet, celebrating sportsmanship, togetherness and organ donation awareness.The sports meet featured a range of sporting activities, including a cricket match, lemon race, three-legged race and 100-metre race. The competitions witnessed enthusiastic participation and provided an opportunity for participants to celebrate sportsmanship, fitness and team spirit in a lively atmosphere.

*Dr. Suresh Kumar, Dept of Pediatrics ,PGIMER* ,* organiser of sports meet, played a key role in coordinating the event and bringing together sports and awareness activities under a common platform. The collaboration with ROTTO North reinforced the message that organ donation awareness can be effectively promoted through institutional events and community engagement.

*Dr. Vijay Tadia, Nodal Officer, ROTTO North, PGIMER, Chandigar* h , highlighted the importance of using infotainment as an effective medium to promote organ donation awareness. He stated," Integrating an important social message with engaging activities such as sports makes awareness more accessible, relatable and impactful, particularly among young people. He emphasised that such innovative approaches can help dispel myths, encourage informed conversations and inspire more people to pledge for organ donation, reinforcing the message that one decision to donate organs can save multiple lives."

ROTTO North, PGIMER, Chandigarh, continues to work towards strengthening awareness about organ and tissue donation and encouraging informed public participation in this life-saving mission. The initiative reiterated that while sporting achievements celebrate champions on the field, the decision to donate organs can make individuals heroes beyond it.

The event concluded with the felicitation of the winners, followed by collective pledges for organ donation, reaffirming the participants’ commitment to promoting sportsmanship, collective responsibility and awareness about the noble cause of organ donation