Organ transplants in India have risen nearly fourfold over the past decade, climbing from fewer than 5,000 procedures in 2013 to almost 20,000 in 2025, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday. Citing data from the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), the ministry described the surge as a significant milestone in the country’s organ donation and transplantation landscape.
“Around 18% of transplants are currently being performed with the organs donated from deceased donors,” a press release by the ministry revealed.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to the importance of organ donation in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address, the ministry said it has given impetus to the organ donation movement in the country. It added that policy support, digital reforms and institutional strengthening have translated vision into measurable, life-saving outcomes.
“More than 1200 families came forward to donate organs of their loved one after death in the year 2025, saving thousands of lives and improving the quality of Lives of many others. And each donor is now a multiorgan donor transforming lives of many. More than 4.8 lakh citizens have registered to donate organs and tissues after death through a Aadhaar based verification system, since 17th September 2023,” the press release added.
India has also achieved competence in performing complex organ transplants such as heart, lung and pancreas procedures. The ministry underlined that the country leads the world in hand transplants, performing more such procedures than any other nation. It added that India has some of the best transplant professionals and surgeons in the world, achieving outcomes comparable to global standards at a fraction of the cost.
Over the past year, the country has witnessed what officials describe as a historic rise in deceased organ donations, enhanced transplant coordination, and improved national-level organ sharing. The strengthened performance of NOTTO, the ministry said, underlines India’s growing maturity as a responsive, ethical and technology-enabled transplant ecosystem. Despite this progress, the gap between the demand for organs and their availability continues to remain wide, highlighting the scale of the challenge ahead.
Government’s strategic push
The ministry attributed the recent gains to a comprehensive and multi-pronged strategy pursued over the past several years.
A key pillar has been the “strengthening of NOTTO as the national coordinating authority, enabling real-time organ allocation and seamless inter-state cooperation.” The expansion and modernisation of the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Registry have been central to ensuring transparency, traceability and fairness in allocation.
Capacity building has also been prioritised at the state and regional levels through focused strengthening of State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (SOTTOs) and Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTOs). Streamlined transplant protocols and standard operating procedures, aligned with global best practices, have sought to standardise care across institutions.
The government has enhanced the use of digital platforms for donor and patient registration, as well as hospital connectivity, reducing delays and improving coordination. “Promotion of Green Corridors and implementation of Standard Operative Procedures (SOP) for different modes of transport, has enabled rapid and safe organ transport across cities and states,” the ministry said. These green corridors, special traffic-free routes created to transport organs, have played a critical role in ensuring that organs reach recipients within the narrow window of viability.
According to the ministry, “these reforms have significantly reduced logistical barriers, improved clinical outcomes, and reinforced public trust in the organ donation system.”
Still, the gap between need and supply remains
Despite the encouraging rise in transplant numbers, the gap between need and supply remains stark. According to NOTTO, each year an estimated 2.5 lakh people require kidney transplants, 1 lakh need corneas, 80,000 need livers and 50,000 need hearts. Yet India’s organ donation rate remains under 1 per cent of the population.
Dr Arvinder Singh Soin, a Padma Shri awardee and pioneer of liver transplantation in India, earlier pointed to the sobering reality. “In 2024, there were about 1,100 brain-dead donors in the entire country. That gives you a donation rate of about 0.6–0.7 per million people. To meet our needs, we have to reach at least 10–15 per million,” he said.
As per the latest figures, total registrations for organ transplants stand at 4,80,146, including 2,56,690 male and 2,20,373 female registrants.
State-wise data reveal uneven participation in pledging and awareness. Maharashtra leads with 1,14,122 pledges, followed by Rajasthan with 91,475 and Karnataka with 58,650. At the other end of the spectrum are Lakshadweep with 10 pledges, Ladakh with 38 and Nagaland with 71.
Breaking the pledges down by organ shows that the highest pledges are for the liver (3,31,298) and heart (3,29,891), followed by lungs (3,02,665), intestine (2,85,198) and kidney (1,40,068). While these figures indicate growing public willingness, actual deceased donation rates remain far below what is required to bridge the treatment gap.
The way ahead
“Public awareness campaigns, community engagement, and sustained advocacy have catalysed a positive shift in societal attitudes towards organ donation,” the ministry emphasised, noting that increasing numbers of families are stepping forward during moments of profound grief to give the gift of life.
NOTTO has called for promoting a culture of organ and tissue donation in government establishments, institutions and organisations across the country. “NOTTO promotes multiorgan donations as a right of every family,” the statement said, underlining the importance of normalising conversations around organ donation.
Outreach efforts have expanded with the active involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions and district- and block-level administrations. Hospitals and systems are now better prepared to accept donated organs, and efficient allocation and distribution to waiting patients ensure maximum utilisation.
NOTTO and its regional and state-level bodies are also engaging with citizens, particularly youth and school children, to motivate them to support the cause of organ donation. The ministry described the support from citizens and young people as “an act of solidarity for alleviating the suffering of fellow citizens.”
Healthcare institutions across the country have responded with renewed commitment, demonstrating higher efficiency in donor identification, retrieval and transplantation. The ministry said that progress under NOTTO’s stewardship strengthens India’s vision of self-reliance in advanced healthcare by reducing dependence on overseas transplants while ensuring ethical, transparent and equitable practices within the country.
Building on the current momentum, the government has committed to further increasing organ donation rates, expanding transplant infrastructure in underserved regions, deepening digital integration and national coordination, and sustaining public awareness to make organ donation a nationwide movement. The recent success of NOTTO, the ministry said, “is not merely an institutional achievement, it is a testament to India’s collective resolve to place human life, dignity, and compassion at the centre of public health policy.”
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.