Jammu, Jun 27: Compassion, selfless service to humanity, charity and the indomitable spirit of saving lives form a common thread that delineates the ultimate philosophy of all religions.
Faiths may differ, but not the shared commitment to save humanity, which continues to be a unifying factor among all the major religions of the world.
Organ donation is one among those acts of selfless service and humanity, transcending religious boundaries – was the pivot of deliberations during the “Sarv Dharam (inter-faith) awareness meet on Organ donation”, organised by State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), J&K at Namah, Shree Vimal Muni Bhawan, in Jammu on Saturday.
The significance of the programme – described as a crucial milestone in Jammu & Kashmir – was that it brought together representatives from a wide spectrum of religious communities, social organisations, NGOs, healthcare professionals and community leaders on a common platform to promote organ donation and the message of saving lives beyond religious boundaries.
The meet was organised in collaboration with S S Jain Sabha Jammu, a registered organisation, under the supervision of Dr Elias Sharma, Nodal Officer, SOTTO J&K and HoD Urology, Super Speciality Hospital (SSH), Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu,
“The programme aims to bring together representatives of various faiths to promote awareness about organ donation and highlight the shared values of compassion, humanity and saving lives,” Dr Elias Sharma affirmed.
A key highlight of the programme was an informative presentation by Dr Poonam Mahajan, Joint Director, SOTTO J&K, on “Organ donation through the lens of different religions.” She explained that major faiths, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Jainism and Buddhism, advocate compassion, service to humanity, charity, and saving lives.
Through references from religious teachings and scriptures, she asserted, “Organ donation is widely regarded as an act of selfless service and humanity, transcending religious boundaries.”
The participation from representatives of the Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Kashmiri Pandit, Aggarwal communities, Brahma Kumaris, NGOs, social organisations, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and members of the S S Jain Sabha, reflected a collective commitment towards promoting organ donation as a humanitarian cause.
A soulful song on organ donation was also presented by women from Shraman Sanskriti Manch.
Representatives from different faiths shared their views and unanimously supported the message that organ donation is a noble act that embodies the universal values of compassion, kindness, and service. They emphasised that saving a life is among the highest forms of humanitarian service and encouraged greater public participation in organ donation.
Members of various NGOs, social organisations, and civil society groups also pledged their support in spreading awareness and motivating people to register as organ donors. The gathering reflected a rare and inspiring display of unity among diverse faiths and communities for a common humanitarian cause.
Arvind Gupta, MLA Jammu West, Vikram Randhawa, MLA Bahu, and Yudhvir Sethi, MLA Jammu East were also among the dignitaries.
They appreciated the efforts being made by SOTTO J&K and the Jain community to spread awareness about organ donation and lauded the initiative for fostering social harmony and collective responsibility towards saving lives.
Suneel Jain, president, S S Jain Sabha Jammu, and Pavinder Jain, general secretary, S S Jain Sabha Jammu, reaffirmed the Sabha’s commitment to promoting awareness initiatives and community engagement programmes aimed at increasing awareness regarding organ donation and transplantation.
In the end, a collective pledge by all participants to work towards dispelling myths and misconceptions surrounding organ donation and to encourage more individuals to register as organ donors – reinforced the message that while faiths may differ, the shared commitment to saving lives and serving humanity unites all communities.
