Karnataka deploys grief counsellors in hospitals to boost organ donations, eyes top rank in India

With grief counsellors, family honours, and awareness campaigns, Karnataka steps up efforts to surpass Tamil Nadu and Telangana in organ donations.

Karnataka has launched an ambitious plan to become India’s leading state in organ donations, placing grief counsellors in every government hospital to guide families through difficult decisions. Currently ranked third behind Tamil Nadu and Telangana, the state is expanding its outreach to climb to the top this year.

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The counsellors will offer one-on-one support to families, helping them understand the life-saving potential of donations at a time of loss. Alongside this, Karnataka continues to felicitate donor families with certificates signed by the Chief Minister and Health Minister, turning personal sacrifice into a publicly recognised act of service.

The results are already visible. Bengaluru (27), Hassan (9), and Tumakuru (7) lead in donations this year, while Dharwad (11,479 pledges), Ballari (10,724), and Bengaluru (3,010) have pushed Karnataka’s total to 44,882 pledges, placing it third in India after Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

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Karnataka’s efforts were acknowledged this month with the ‘Excellence in Promotion of Organ Donation’ award from NOTTO. Officials attribute Dharwad’s leading pledge numbers to consistent awareness campaigns by district leaders, faith institutions, and community groups.

Private storytelling initiatives have also inspired change. In Tumakuru, the story of Harish, an organ donor, screened at his funeral ceremony, moved nearly an entire village to pledge their organs, demonstrating how emotional narratives can reshape perceptions.

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By embedding grief counselling, public honours, and creative campaigns into its health strategy, Karnataka is redefining the culture of organ donation, with the goal of making the state a national leader.

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