Hope Lives On

From waiting for life to giving it; the story of a 12-year-old organ donor.

- Jyoti Galada

This is the story of Umang Galada, the youngest organ donor from West Bengal. It is also a story that echoes the struggles of thousands of organ-failure patients across India who are waiting for a transplant—though their endings may be different.

Umang was a 12-year-old boy who fought to find a kidney donor so he could live. In the end, he became an organ donor himself. His liver saved the life of a critically ill 8-year-old child, and his corneas gave the gift of sight to two visually impaired individuals.

Umang was a brilliant child with boundless curiosity—a mind that sought continuous learning. He immersed himself wholeheartedly in everything he pursued. He excelled in his studies, played the tabla, built mechanical models, coded Al-based games, cooked, acted, and filled every room with laughter through his sharp wit.

Recently, he had to submit a 7-minute tabla performance video for a competition. Just back from dialysis, he recorded three versions and sent them to his teacher, who replied with an “ok.” But Umang was not satisfied. He said, “I will keep sending more till sir says ‘good.’” He had this rare ability to connect deeply with people and make them feel seen, proud, and uplifted.