ASRHMC Celebrates 80th Independence Day with Plantation Drive and Organ Donation Awareness Programme

Tadepalligudem : Indian News Times:15 August 2026: ASRHMC celebrated the 80th Independence Day today in a befitting manner on its campus, combining patriotic fervour with two campus-wide social-service initiatives — a plantation programme and an organ donation awareness programme — reaffirming the institution’s twin commitment to nation-building and community welfare.

Flag Hoisting & National AnthemThe day’s programme began with the ceremonial hoisting of the National Flag by the Principal, Prof. Dr. Ananda Kumar Pingali, followed immediately by the singing of the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, by faculty, staff and students. The Vice Principal, Dr. D. Durendra Kumar, and Prof. Dr. Ananda Rao Sanapala, along with other faculty members, students and interns of the college, participated in large numbers throughout the day’s events.

Plantation Drive with UARDTNext, ASRHMC — in association with the Umar Alisha Rural Development Trust (UARDT), and with the kind support of Dr. Lakshmi Janaki garu and Dr. Hanumantha Rao garu — organised a plantation programme on the campus. A total of 125 fruit-bearing and flowering saplings, three to four years old, were planted for the lasting benefit of students, the beautification of the campus, and to help reduce carbon emissions.

Organ Donation Awareness ProgrammeThe gathering then proceeded to the college seminar hall for an Organ Donation Awareness Programme, held on the occasion of the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day and as part of the national “Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan” campaign, jointly organised by ASRHMC, UARDT and the Savitribai Phule Educational and Charitable Trust. All the formal addresses of the day were delivered at the seminar hall.

Speaking at the seminar hall, the Principal, Prof. Dr. Ananda Kumar Pingali, said that ASRHMC remains firmly committed to serving the nation and, in particular, the rural population of West Godavari District, through its regular medical services — including specialty OPDs at the college and ten peripheral OPDs conducted across the district. He noted that the college continues to carry out social welfare activities in association with its NGO partner, UARDT, of which the day’s plantation and organ donation programmes were a part.

The chief guest, Dr. Guduru Seetha Mahalakshmi, Founder of the Savitribai Phule Educational and Charitable Trust and the All India Organ Donation Foundation, shared her personal journey and spoke at length on the importance of body and organ donation. Recalling the early days of her mission, she said:

“When I decided to donate my body, many people shut their doors on me. My own relatives kept away, my friends stopped speaking to me, and there were times people even tried to beat me for it. It was painful at first, but slowly it became a habit — and then it became my strength.”

She told the gathering that her sustained efforts, spread over more than a decade, have brought about a remarkable change in public attitude:

“So far, 180 donated bodies have been delivered to hospitals, through which more than 1,500 people have received organs. Every year, around 500 medical students conduct their studies and medical tests on these donated bodies. Today, over 30,000 people have come forward and pledged to donate their bodies and organs.”

Dr. Seetha Mahalakshmi added that she and her family — including her children and daughter-in-law — have themselves pledged their bodies to medical institutions, and appealed to the audience to overcome superstition and hesitation:

“There is life even after death. If a person donates their body, they continue to live on through the many lives they touch — Marinchina Jeevinchandi: even if you die, live on.”

Vande Mataram & Conclusion

The formal programme concluded with the singing of Vande Mataram, the National Song, after which a vote of thanks was proposed and sweets were distributed to all participants.

Pre-Seminar Oral Paper Presentations — Today

As a curtain-raiser to the forthcoming National Seminar on Autism, ASRHMC also conducted an Oral Paper Presentation session today for faculty members and PG scholars, providing a platform to present research and clinical perspectives ahead of tomorrow’s national seminar.

National Seminar on Autism — 16 August 2026 Dr. Pingali announced that the National Seminar on Autism will be held at ASRHMC tomorrow, 16 August 2026, with eminent international speakers arriving in Tadepalligudem to deliver lectures. He observed that Homoeopathy offers encouraging and effective results in the management of Autism and other childhood disorders, and expressed hope that the seminar would benefit practitioners and scholars alike.

Appeal to the Public ASRHMC appeals to citizens to come forward and pledge their organs and bodies for the benefit of humanity, to imbibe the spirit of patriotism and social service demonstrated on this Independence Day, and to join the college’s efforts in spreading awareness about the role of Homoeopathy in the care of children with Autism and related developmental conditions.