Reinforcing its position as the country’s foremost institution in deceased organ donation, ROTTO North, PGIMER, scripted history by winning the prestigious National Award for Best Regional Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) for the third consecutive year, completing a remarkable hat-trick and securing its fourth overall national title since the inception of the award in 2019.The coveted honour was conferred during the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day celebrations held at the iconic Dr BR Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, under the aegis of the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.The award was presented by Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, who congratulated the award-winning institutions for their outstanding contributions to strengthening India’s organ donation movement and promoting ethical, transparent, and equitable organ transplantation across the country.The other esteemed dignitaries present on the occasion included Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, MoHFW; Vijay Nehra, Additional Secretary, MoHFW; Dr Loveneesh G. Krishna, DGHS, MoHFW; and Dr Anil Kumar, Director, NOTTO.The award was received by PGIMER Director Vivek Lal, along with a senior delegation comprising Medical Superintendent Ashok Kumar; Professor Dheeraj Khurana, Department of Neurology; Professor Hemant Bhagat, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care; Dr Vijay Tadia, Nodal Officer, ROTTO North; and Saryu D. Madra, Consultant (IEC/Media), ROTTO North, PGIMER.Expressing his happiness over the recognition, Vivek Lal said, “Receiving this prestigious national recognition for the third consecutive year is a proud moment for the entire PGIMER family. It reflects our sustained commitment to advancing organ donation and transplantation through excellence in patient care, innovation, and teamwork. This honour belongs to our dedicated healthcare professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Above all, it is a tribute to the donor families whose extraordinary courage and generosity continue to transform loss into hope and save countless lives.”The national event witnessed participation from senior officials of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, secretaries and senior officers from states and Union Territories, heads of leading healthcare institutions, transplant professionals, donor and recipient families, transplant coordinators, NGOs, and civil society organisations working to advance organ donation across India.The ceremony featured several deeply moving moments that underscored the true spirit of organ donation. Among those felicitated was the family of Major Singh, whose selfless decision to donate organs after his demise gave a new lease of life to multiple recipients.Equally poignant was the recognition accorded to the family of a young burn survivor who received a life-changing skin donation, highlighting the transformative impact of tissue donation in restoring hope and healing to patients with severe burn injuries. These stories served as powerful reminders that every donation transcends grief to create new beginnings.With this latest recognition, ROTTO North, PGIMER, has now won the National Best ROTTO Award four times, including an unprecedented hat-trick of three successive victories in 2023, 2024, and 2025, in addition to its earlier win in 2019, firmly establishing itself as the national leader in organ donation coordination and promotion.The Institute has also previously received multiple national recognitions for excellence in deceased organ donation, reflecting its sustained commitment to advancing transplantation services and strengthening the organ donation ecosystem in the country.