A tax expert's journey to saving lives
Ahmedabad: The presidential honour for Mukesh Patel recognises his role in establishing the Ahmedabad Red Cross Shatabdi Bhavan , acknowledged as India's largest blood centre with state-of-the art facilities. He has spearheaded the Thalassemia Care, Awareness & Prevention (CAP) Mission since 1983, providing free life-saving transfusions to over 1,200 children suffering from blood disorder.Asked about his inspiration behind championing voluntary blood donation and thalassemia care, Patel told TOI, "Blood donation is the only gift that costs nothing to the donor but means a whole world to someone in need. You do not have to be a doctor to save a life, just donate blood."Ahmedabad has earned recognition as the blood donation capital of India and global hub of centurion blood donors under Patel's leadership. The city boasts 138 centurion blood donors, including all five of India's women centurions, three double centurions, India's first centurion couple and first differently abled centurion.As an international tax expert by profession, Patel has donated blood in 25 countries worldwide. "My globetrotting gave me ample opportunities to visit leading blood banks around the world, donate blood, study their blood donation promotion, interact with experts and in the process nurture innovative ideas and strategies for fruitful implementation," he said.Patel's innovative approaches include "instilling the feeling of pride and participation through blood donor recognition, setting up of diverse activity hubs and clubs, launch of our imaginative mascots Sherdil and Caredil, motivational songs on Raktdaan and showcasing the creative Blood-o-pedia, Thalas-e-media and Jeevan Utsav".
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