Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Current Guinness record held by Dera Sacha Sauda blood donation drive in 2004

Tiruchi: Bharathidasan University is aiming to achieve a Guinness record in blood donation under the aegis of National Service Scheme and Youth Red Cross.

The largest blood donation so far as per the Guinness Records was made at the blood donation drive organised by the Dera Sacha Sauda at Bapu Ji village, Sriganganagar, on October 10, 2004. It attracted 17,921 donors in a day.


The university plans to surpass the feat within a specific duration of a few hours. For the university, the willing donors comprising students of affiliated colleges in the eight central districts have already exceeded 20,000.

Hundreds more are likely to join by the third week of January, 2009, when the blood donation drive has been planned, said K. Kanagaraju, NSS Coordinator, Bharathidasan University. Nearly one-sixth of the 1.5 lakh students in the fold of the university are NSS volunteers, he said.

The university has identified 60 blood banks, including many even beyond the jurisdictional districts of Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Karur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur.

The university is contemplating conducting camps in Villupuram district, to supply the same to Chennai-based blood banks. Likewise, blood will also be supplied to blood banks in Coimbatore and Madurai districts, Mr. Kanagaraju said.

The performances of the identified blood banks were being analysed to determine the quantum of supply, Mr. Kanagaraju said, adding that the university was exploring the possibility for labelling the blood collected to ensure that it is supplied free to patients.

The university would also prevail upon the Government Hospitals to provide the blood thus supplied without insisting on replacement, Mr. Kanagaraju said.

At a recent meeting of Principals, Vice-Chancellor M. Ponnavaikko assured that student donors will receive certificates of the university mentioning their participation in the Guinness feat.