Chandigarh, February 22: Rotary and Blood Bank Society Resource Centre honoured over 300 blood donors and 201 institutions of the region at the annual award function at MGSIPA, today.

Member of Parliament from Chandigarh, Manish Tewari, was the chief guest on this occasion who thanked the blood donors for their selfless gift to save someone's life they do not know.

He congratulated Apurba Ghosh, a Kolkata-based activist on being honoured with the 2nd Kanta Krishen Award of Excellence for his five decades of service to the humanity in promoting voluntary blood donation in India, He expressed pleasant surprise on his management skills in organising over 70,000 camps and awareness motorbike rallies across India.

Prominent senior lawyer and a centurion blood donor M.L. Sarin, introducing Apurba Ghosh recalled a long association with him, who was instrumental in joining Kanta Swaroop Krishen, whom he considered his mother, and flew in from Calcutta to facilitate meeting the then Prime Minister of India for banning the sale of blood and instead encourage voluntary blood donation.

Ms Niti Sarin, Secretary of the Centre informed that there had been over 200 institutions who had been supporting the blood requirement by organizing regular camps,

73 Star Donors and Apheresis donors who donated blood four times and others who donated 3 times during last year were also honoured.

Some of the prominent dignitaries at the awards function included former world president of Rotary International Rajendra K Saboo, Anil Nehru, Rotary Club Chandigarh President Abha Joshi, Madhukar Malhotra , heads of educational institutes, eminent Rotarians, representatives of various industries, corporates, religious bodies from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana & Himachal graced the event.