7 days ago
26-year-old turns his life-saving act into organ donation mission
Hyderabad: A 26-year-old man from Kalwakurthy in Nagarkurnool district, has turned his life-saving act into a mission. At 22, Gundlanaram Shiva Kumar, donated 70% of his liver to save his brother-in-law, after no one else from the family came forward.
"I could not imagine my sister's children growing up without a father. I wanted the family to be safe," says Shiva, who had to convince authorities to permit the donation at the age of 22.
Sometimes, the scar under his chest becomes an opening for conversation. "If someone notices it, I talk about
organ donation
," he says. Through meetings in schools and colleges, he has inspired at least 500 people to pledge their organs.
For his efforts in spreading awareness on organ donation, drug abuse prevention and modern farming practices, Shiva was conferred the National Youth Award by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on April 3 this year at the Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025.
He was the only recipient from the Telugu states among 12 awardees nationwide for 2022-23.
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Orphaned young and having lost his brother in a road accident, Shiva was raised by his sister and brother-in-law, the man whose life he saved. A diploma holder in agriculture and now pursuing Masters in social work, Shiva uses social media to share videos on innovative farming, helping farmers boost yields and income.
"My journey began with a personal loss and a family crisis. Now, I want my story to encourage more people to become organ donors," he says.
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