Collective kindness: When families commit to saving lives through blood donation

Sheikh Shamsuddin, a 29-year-old resident of George Town, has become deeply ingrained in his mind that time cannot erase him. In 2016, that memorable day arrived uninvited, and when it ended, Shamsuddin’s wish cherished for years had been fulfilled; Desire to follow in the footsteps of his father Sheikh Sadaqatullah as a selfless blood donor. New College has always had a strong culture of blood donation, supporting the government hospitals especially Royapettah GH. And ten years ago that day, an urgent request for AB negative blood arrived at the open door of Shamsuddin’s classroom at New College; This was necessary for anyone undergoing treatment at the Cancer Institute. Within a moment Shamsuddin’s hand went up.

That hand will continue to grow with the same eagerness over the years whenever the need for AB Negative appears on the horizon. Shamsuddin has registered with the Madras Voluntary Blood Bureau (MVBB), based in Gopalapuram and run by the TTK Group as a service to the society, and whenever he gets a call-up from them, he attends that address the very next moment. In April this year, MVBB celebrated its golden jubilee.

Shamsuddin elaborates: “Since I have a rare blood type, I don’t donate blood once in three to four months, as many donors do, but donate when there is an emergency, an urgent need for AB negative. The MVBB keeps a record of when I have donated blood, and in case of an emergency, they will call me if I am within the due date to donate blood again.”

Bookmark this idea: Irrespective of whether one’s blood group is rare or common, it would be good for him to stay connected with the blood donation organization so that he can connect with the idea of ​​donating blood as often as possible by receiving timely reminders and immediate call-ups.

Shamsuddin’s number of blood donations is 22.

As he wanted, Shamsuddin’s journey as a blood donor is going on like his father.

(Before we proceed further, here’s a snapshot of the recent honor bestowed upon the father-son duo. Last month, on World Blood Donor Day, Crescent Blood Donors honored Sheikh Sadaqatullah and his son Sheikh Shamsuddin for their commitment to blood donation at an event held at the Kavico Convention Centre, Mylapore. The award was jointly presented by renowned film director Ameer Sultan and BS Abdur Rahman Ahmed Ahmed, trustee of the Crescent Institute of Science and Technology. was provided by Buhari)

In addition to a commitment to donate blood as often as possible and the option to remain connected to MVBB, father and son share their blood type AB negative. The number of blood donations of 56 year old Sheikh Sadaqatullah is 53. A hint of disappointment creeps into his voice for a moment as Sadaqatullah says, he stopped donating blood due to health concerns.

(A trivia: Sadaqatullah is an amateur radio operator and his call sign is VU2SDU)

‘Sadaqatullah’s blood donation journey began in 1993 at the Perambur Railway Hospital where he donated blood while responding to a friend’s call. “Then I realized that my blood group was rare. Any negative blood type is considered rare, and AB negative is even rarer among negative blood types. Globally, 2 percent of the population has this blood type. In view of this, I have not donated in blood donation camps, only when there was an emergency need for AB negative, and MVBB would call for that.”

The interviews of father and son were conducted separately, and what was striking was the similarity not only in the language they used, but also in the emotions they expressed.

This is a lesson, and perhaps even a hope, for blood donation champions like Srivatsa Vema of the Federation of Indian Blood Donors Organizations (FIBDO), who have expressed concern over the declining number of blood donors.

Also bookmark this idea: If you are on a mission to increase the number of blood donors but don’t know where to start, start at home. Talk to your children about your blood donation journey. It definitely works: ask the sheikhs.

a family tradition

Nanganallur resident R. Ravikumar doesn’t miss a schedule, some day based and some happening every few months, not for all teas in China. These programs are largely related to his passion for cycling, running and donating blood. His unwavering commitment to blood donation has led to a deep count in front of his name: 106 blood donations, the last donation being made on March 17, 2026, at Sunrays Hospital in Ashok Nagar.

Ravikumar, a retired manager from Oriental Insurance Company Limited, has never seen blood donation as merely an act of charity. It has been a family legacy, a service that brings him closer to his father’s memories: his father was a blood donor, donating blood more than 50 times in his lifetime. And Ravikumar owes his strong commitment to blood donation to his late father S. Rengarajan’s example as well as the simple philosophy that drives his world view. His father would often say, “Even if we cannot help someone financially, we can always serve the society through our actions without expecting anything in return.” Inspired by those words, Ravikumar (who has blood type B positive) began donating blood in 1984 at the age of 23, with the first donation aimed at helping his colleague’s wife who was undergoing surgery. To continue this service, Ravikumar has made staying healthy his top priority through regular marathon running and long-distance cycling, believing that physical fitness is the reason why he is still able to respond to every call for blood.

Since the age of 56, he has competed in numerous endurance competitions, earning 85 medals. He is also an active member of several blood donation groups in Chennai, who continue to respond to the urgent need of donors.

Out of the 106 donations, one donation will always remain engraved in his memory. In 2019, after he donated blood for a six-year-old cancer patient from Odisha, the child’s parents insisted on meeting him. He recalls, “I told them I didn’t do anything special, but they still wanted to thank me.” Seeing the scene after this, anyone’s eyes will become moist. He bowed gratefully, a gesture that moved him deeply and confirmed his belief that compassion has no language.

While Ravikumar’s father donated blood more than 50 times and today his brother R. Ramesh has donated blood more than 60 times.

What started as one man’s quiet belief in selfless service has now grown into a powerful family tradition.

The hospitals where Ravikumar has donated blood include Apollo Hospital in Greams Road, Nandanam Apollo Cancer Specialty Hospital, Vijaya Hospital, Miotte Hospital, Egmore Children’s Hospital, Adyar Cancer Institute, VHS Blood Bank, various Rotary Club camps, Railway Hospital in Perambur, Sewalaya in Thirunindravur, Sims Hospital, Chromepet Government Hospital, Rajaji Government Hospital, Sunrays Hospital and WCCG ​​blood donation camps.

Ravikumar is now 65, generally considered the maximum age to donate blood. Exceptions to that rule exist; And Ravikumar appears to be an exception.