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Yashoda Medicity launches campaign to promote stem cell donation
MUMBAI: What if saving a life took just a few seconds and a cotton swab? That simple idea sits at the heart of A Match That Saves Lives, a new public awareness campaign launched by Yashoda Medicity to spotlight the urgent need for stem cell donors in India.
Held in collaboration with Datri Stem Cell Donation Registry and Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., the campaign aims to demystify stem cell donation and show how a quick, painless buccal swab can put someone on the path to becoming a life-saving match. The initiative saw enthusiastic participation from residents of nearby communities, signalling growing awareness, but also underscoring how much more needs to be done.
The event was inaugurated by Abhinav Gopal, IAS, chief development officer, Ghaziabad, who joined doctors and advocates in calling for wider public participation in India’s stem cell donor registry.
The urgency is real. For patients battling conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma, thalassaemia and other severe blood disorders, a bone marrow transplant is often the only cure. Yet more than 70 per cent of patients do not find a suitable donor within their family. Finding an unrelated match can be as rare as one in 10,000, owing to the complexity of matching Human Leukocyte Antigen markers.
Against this stark backdrop, the campaign focused on clearing misconceptions around stem cell donation and highlighting how accessible the process really is. Awareness booths at Yashoda Medicity, Indirapuram, and Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, Kaushambi, allowed visitors to register as donors, submit buccal swab samples and speak directly with medical teams.
The on-ground drive was supported by health talks and panel discussions featuring voices such as Shobha Tuli of Thalassemics India and the Thalassaemia International Federation, and Bindiya Sawheny, North India Head at Datri. Conversations centred on strengthening India’s donor ecosystem and why timely matches can dramatically improve patient outcomes.
Adding a human touch were patient stories shared under the hashtag BMT Ki Kahani Survivor Ki Zubani, which brought home the life-changing impact of stem cell donation, not through statistics, but lived experience.
Yashoda Group of Hospitals chairman and managing director P. N. Arora said, “Creating awareness about stem cell donation is something we must all take part in. This initiative underlines our commitment to public health alongside medical excellence.”
Yashoda Group of Hospitals managing director Upasana Arora said, “‘A Match That Saves Lives’ is our effort to raise awareness about the life-saving potential of stem cell donation. While our teams support patients through every stage of treatment, this initiative helps build a stronger donor network that delivers timely hope.”
Yashoda Medicity director and head of hematology hemato-oncology and bone marrow transplant Nivedita Dhingra said, “Every new donor brings a patient closer to a compatible match. Campaigns like this turn awareness into action and action into saved lives.”
With A Match That Saves Lives, Yashoda Medicity is sending out a clear message: sometimes, all it takes to make a difference is to swab, register and be willing to help a stranger live.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
