Archive · 24 Jan 2026
Soldier's Stem Cell Donation Saves Life
A soldier named Havildar Sukhwinder Singh did something very kind and brave.
He donated his blood stem cells to a person who was very sick and needed help.
This donation gave the sick person a second chance at life.
Sukhwinder Singh signed up to be a donor in 2019, and in 2025, he was found to be a perfect match for someone in need.
This story shows how important it is for more people to sign up as donors because there are not enough donors in India.
Only a very small number of people, just 0.09%, are registered to donate stem cells, even though many people need this help to fight serious diseases like blood cancers and thalassemia.
Havildar Sukhwinder Singh, an Indian Army soldier, donated his blood stem cells to a patient with a life-threatening blood disorder.
Singh registered as a potential donor in 2019 and was identified as a match in December 2025.
The donation was highlighted by the DKMS Foundation, India, on Republic Day.
India faces an acute shortage of stem cell donors, with only 0.09% of eligible citizens registered.
The growing burden of blood cancers and thalassemia underscores the importance of stem cell donation.
- Who
- Havildar Sukhwinder Singh, a soldier in the Indian Army, and an unidentified patient in need of a stem cell transplant.
- What
- Havildar Sukhwinder Singh donated his blood stem cells to a patient with a life-threatening blood disorder.
- When
- The donation occurred in December 2025, after Singh registered as a potential donor in 2019.
- Where
- The event took place in Bengaluru, India, and was highlighted by the DKMS Foundation, India, on Republic Day.
- Why
- Singh's donation was crucial due to India's acute shortage of stem cell donors, with only 0.09% of eligible citizens registered, despite the growing burden of blood cancers and thalassemia.
- Donor
- Havildar Sukhwinder Singh
- Organization
- DKMS Foundation, India
- Registration Year
- 2019
- Donation Year
- 2025
- Donor Registration Rate in India
- 0.09%