M. B. Patil, Minister and BLDE Society chairperson, thanks members of Balram Bagalkot’s family for donating the youth’s organs for treatment of others, in Vijayapura, Karnataka, on February 16, 2026.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Vijayapura-based BLDE Society will start ‘Mission Balram’, a campaign to create awareness among people about organ donation. The name of the campaign is a tribute to Balram Bagalkot, a young man whose organs were donated for treatment of needy patients in Vijayapura and Kalaburagi, in Karnataka.
On February 16, M. B. Patil, Minister and chairperson of BLDE Society, announced in Vijayapura that he would donate his organs for healthcare and medical research.
He thanked members of the Bagalkot family for donating the organs of the young man who had suffered brain death and underwent treatment in BLDE hospital. Mr. Patil said Balram Bagalkot had become immortal by donating his kidneys and eyes. “Consenting to donate his organs is a commendable and exemplary act of this family. Their act is an inspiration to others. If the practice of organ and body donation becomes more widespread, a large number of patients will be cured, and the medical student fraternity will benefit,” he said.
“People die everyday. We either cremate them or bury them. All of us should consider the benefits of organ donation,” Mr. Patil said. “The donation by the Bagalkot family should not be an isolated incident. That is why, we want to start an awareness campaign,” he said.
He urged the State and Central governments to focus on this issue. He said that if the family so desired, BLDE Society would offer free education to their children in schools and colleges, and employment to youths.
The Minister was accompanied by BLDE-DU pro-Chancellor Y. M. Jayaraj, and Acting Vice-Chancellor Arun Inamdar.
Published – February 18, 2026 01:44 pm IST
