Odisha Honours Families of Deceased Organ Donors with Suraj Awards

The Odisha government awarded the Suraj Awards to families of ten deceased organ donors on World Organ Donation Day. Each family received Rs 5 lakh. Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling stated that the award aims to encourage organ donation. Suraj Awards were instituted in 2020 after donor Suraj Behera's life-saving contributions.

The Odisha government has honoured the family members of ten deceased organ donors with the coveted Suraj Awards. The awards were presented by Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling on the occasion of World Organ Donation Day on Tuesday.

The families were each awarded an amount of Rs 5 lakh in recognition of their invaluable contributions. Speaking at the event, Mahaling expressed hope that the awards would inspire more citizens to pledge their organs, thus saving more lives.

The Suraj Awards were established in 2020 in memory of Suraj Behera from Ganjam district, who was declared brain dead after sustaining injuries in a road accident. His family's decision to donate his organs saved six lives. The state conducted the last rites of donors with full honours.

(With inputs from agencies.)