People participate in blood donation awareness rally in New Delhi

NEW DELHI - Scores of people participated in a blood donation awareness rally to encourage the youth of the country to donate blood and save lives here on Sunday.

Various schools, corporate organisations, colleges and universities participated in the event.

School children took out a rally by holding banners and shouting slogans carrying the message of donating blood voluntarily.

The Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, along with Commonwealth Games gold medallists including discus thrower Krishna Poonia, badminton player Ashwini Ponnappa and social activist Nafisa Ali were also present at the event.

The motto of this drive was to encourage the youth to donate blood voluntarily and also to increase community participation in giving blood on regular basis.

Ahluwalia said the aim to achieve 100 percent voluntary blood donation could be achieved if the government and rotary club work together in encouraging people to donate blood.

“If we the government, rotary club together participate in blood donation, then we can meet the needs of the people as well as the aim to achieve 100 percent voluntary blood donation,” said Ahluwalia.

He also felicitated Poonia and Ponnappa on behalf of the Rotary Blood Bank for supporting the cause.

“I think it’s good that so many people are aware of the consequences and the positives of actually donating blood. All I could say is that donating blood saves and helps a lot of people and it’s really good if you take a little of your time and donate blood,” said Ponnappa. (ANI)