Governor hails Chandigarh’s blood donation legacy at All India Motivators Meet

At the event, Kataria presented the first FBDOI Kanta Krishen Lifetime Achievement Award to ML Sarin, president of the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh, who has donated blood 115 times

Recognising the city’s contribution to India’s voluntary blood donation movement, governor of Punjab and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday inaugurated the All-India Motivators Meet 2026, organised as a tribute to Padma Shri awardee the late Kanta Krishen, who spearheaded the movement in the Tricity and across the country.

(From left) Lawyer ML Sarin, PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal, social worker Ratnavali Kottapali, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, blood bank society secretary Niti Sarin and Chandigarh Citizens Foundation president and former army chief Gen VP Malik (retd) on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Delegates from 22 states and UTs attended the meet. At the event, Kataria presented the first FBDOI Kanta Krishen Lifetime Achievement Award to ML Sarin, president of the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh, who has donated blood 115 times and has been associated with the voluntary blood donation movement for over 60 years.

The FBDOI HD Shourie Memorial Award was presented to Amit Banerjee for his 36 years of association with the movement.

The Mother Teresa Memorial Award went to the Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society, Hyderabad, while the Mahesh Bhai Memorial Award was presented to the Red Cross Blood Centre, Ahmedabad.

Sarin said she was introduced to the cause by the then head of department, Dr JG Jolly Sarin also urged the UT administration to document the legacy of the voluntary blood donation movement on its website as the city’s “Social Heritage”.

PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal, the guest of honour, recalled his days as a resident doctor when he donated blood for a patient at the request of Dr Jolly.

General VP Malik, president of the Chandigarh Citizens Foundation, noted the role of women in bringing about changes in social practices, citing Kanta Krishen as a leading example.

The conference was jointly organised by the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh, Federation of Blood Donor Organisations of India, Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology, Chandigarh, and Chandigarh Citizens Foundation.