Urging the citizens that organ donors should come forward in maximum numbers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the government has also decided to abolish the age limit of below 65 years for organ donation.
In the 99th edition of his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast over All India Radio, the Prime Minister said in this era of modern medical science, organ donation has become a very important means of imparting life to someone.
“It is said that when a person donates one’s body after death, it creates a possibility for eight to nine people to get a new life. It is a matter of satisfaction that today awareness about organ donation is also rising in the country,” the Prime Minister said.
He said in the year 2013, there were less than five thousand cases of organ donation in the country, but in 2022, this number has increased to more than fifteen thousand.
The Prime Minister said in the country today there are a large number of needy people who are waiting for an organ donor in the hope of a healthy life.
“It is a matter of utmost satisfaction for me that in order to make organ donation easy and to encourage it, work is being done on a uniform policy in the whole country. In this direction, it has also been decided to remove the condition of domicile of the states, that is, now the patient will be able to go to any state of the country and register for receiving the organs,” he said.
“The government has also decided to abolish the age limit of below 65 years for organ donation. In the midst of these efforts, I urge the countrymen that organ donors should come forward in maximum numbers. One decision of yours can save the lives of many people, can give life,” PM Modi said.
In the broadcast, PM Modi also hailed the achievements of women of the country in different fields.
“This is the time of Navratri, the time to worship Shakti. Today, the potential of India which is emerging from a new perspective, our woman power has a very big role in it. Recently, many such examples have emerged before us. You must have seen Asia’s first female loco pilot Surekha Yadav on social media. Surekha ji, setting another record, has also become the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express as well,” Modi said.
Referring to film producer Guneet Monga, whose documentary ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ won the Oscar award earlier this month, the Prime Minister said, “This month producer Guneet Monga and director Kartiki Gonsalves brought laurels to the country by winning an Oscar for their documentary, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’.
“Sister Jyotirmayi Mohanty, Scientist of Bhabha Atomic Research Center has also notched another achievement for the country. Jyotirmoyee has received a special award from IUPAC in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering. Earlier this year, India’s Under-19 women’s cricket team created history by winning the T-20 World Cup.”
Referring to women in politics, the Prime Minister said, “If you look at politics, a new beginning has taken place in Nagaland. In Nagaland, for the first time in 75 years, two women legislators have reached the Vidhan Sabha through their victory. One of them has also been made a minister in the Government of Nagaland, that is, for the first time the people of the state have also got a woman minister.”
Modi also mentioned women members of the NDRF contingent, which had gone for relief and rehabilitation work in quake-hit Turkiye.
“A few days ago, I also met those brave daughters who went to help the people of Turkiye after the devastating earthquake. All these were part of the NDRF contingent,” he said.
“Their courage and skills are being praised all over the world,” the Prime Minister said. India has also deployed a women-only platoon in the peacekeeping force under the UN mission, he said.
The Prime Minister also referred to Group Captain Shalija Dhami, the first woman Air Force officer to get a Command Appointment in a Combat Unit.
“Today, the daughters of the country are raising the flag of their bravery in all the three armed forces. Group Captain Shalija Dhami has become the first woman Air Force officer to get a Command Appointment in a Combat Unit. She has a flying experience of about 3000 hours,” he said.
Modi also mentioned Captain Shiva Chauhan of the Indian Army, the first woman officer to be posted at Siachen. Shiva will be stationed for three months in Siachen where the temperature drops to minus sixty (-60) degrees, he said.