Desi Talk

DESI TALK December 26, 2025 21 R Global Head Quarters Saurashtra Medical & Educational Charitable Trust Indian Medical Scientific Research Foundation Ms. Meetal Koticha Shah Mr. Rushikesh Pandya +91 982 428 5868 savelife@999life.org www.999life.org From a modest beginning, Life Blood Centre (LBC) today is an award-winning blood bank in a purpose built building with 15,000 sq. ft built up area over 5 levels, accommodating voluntary blood bank, state of the art laboratories, Thalassaemia Prevention Centre Programme Cell and Life Institute of Health Sciences affiliated to Saurashtra University, Rajkot. Through the 44 years’ journey, LBC, the first ever NABH Accreditated blood bank in Saurashtra, has been and continues to be a leader in blood transfusion field, employing scientific approach, advance technology, professional expertise and management in blood collection, testing, storage and distribution of safe, optimal quality blood. Joy of Sharing LBC operates as the lifesaving link between voluntary blood donors and patients in need of blood, providing blood units and components at cost lower than prescribed by Government of Gujarat, adhering to contemporary industry standards for quality and safety, ensuring greater affordability to patients. This is further subsidized for deserving cases with considerable volume of blood served entirely free of cost to Thalassaemia children needing continual blood transfusions. LBC is having database of 11000+ blood donors amongst which 1200 voluntary regular and on call blood donors, some of them honoured with the tile Centurion Blood Donors in recognition to their compassion and devotion in donating blood over 100 times. Regular, motivated blood donation camps, 6200 by now, have helped LBC to maintain adequate deliverance of safe quality blood and components in the region, supporting Government and Multispeciality hospitals in and around the district. Rajkot has emerged as the medical lifeline of the Saurashtra region, serving patients from all major districts seeking advanced medical care. With a 40% share in fulfilling blood component requirements across the region, Life Blood Centre has established itself as a leader and pioneer in several technologies and initiatives within Indian blood banking. LBC currently supports more than 250 hospitals and 6 Blood Storage Units across the Saurashtra region ensuring timely availability of safe and quality blood components to patients in need.. Partner Charities Life Global (USA) California Chapter Dr. Bhanji Kundaria Life Global UK Life Global Canada Mr. Sunil Koticha +1 204 890 2084 skoticha@gmail.com www.lifeglobal.ca Life Global Australia +1 805 878 4165 bkundaria@gmail.com Mr. Amar Shah +1 201 819 3321 amarshah48@gmail.com www.lifeglobal.us Ms. Bina Sanghvi www.lifeglobal.org.uk +44 780 115 0338 info@lifeglobal.org.uk Dr. Dipti McGowan www.lifeglobal.org.au +61 755 510 412 info@lifeglobal.org.au Texas Chapter Mr. Dilip Punatar +1 614 440 4239 punatar@hotmail.com Life Blood Centre Marches Ahead Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Life Global NJ, USA Actively, significantly, effectively engaged in voluntary blood banking, Life Blood Centre (LBC), Rajkot, India, enters into its 45 year of extremely critical service to humankind; sustaining and saving lives. Through my decades old association with the charity, I have seen LBC progressing and employing the latest contemporary means, technology and management to ensure deliverance of safe, quality tested blood to the ailing. Their solid network of donors and camp organizers have constantly endeavoured to maintain adequate supply so that no one dies for want of blood. LBC has numerous applaudable achievements in the field and I wish the humanitarian organization many more milestones to cross in the coming decades. th Initiated in 1981, Rajkot Voluntary Blood Bank & Research Centre - RVBB & RC - later rechristened Life Blood Centre - ushered into its 45 Year of yeomen humanitarian service on 6 December 2025. Born of deep compassion for providing life support to sustain and save lives in the era when there was no systematized availability or supply of safe, aptly cross matched, scientifically collected, tested and stored blood in the entire region. th th Under leadership of the Jt. Executive Trustee & CEO, Ms. Meetal Koticha Shah and Medical Director Dr. Sanjiv Nandani, the LBC team has published and presented numerous research papers across National & International platforms contributing to advancements and knowledge sharing amongst medical fraternity. Regular invitee at Transcon events for presentation, recipient of the coveted ISBT Award for Developing Countries 2020 from International Society of Blood Transfusion, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Life Time Achievement Award to Mr. Chandrakant Koticha, the Founder, from ISBTI, LBC has accomplished numerous milestones and recognitions and remains at the forefront of contemporary Blood Banking as a leader in India. Blood Components Issued 7,84,300 Thalassaemia Screening Tests Done 7,36,000 Students Turned to Lab Technicians 115 Achievements till 2025 Future Lab Technicians The LBC Team: Driving Vision, Delivering Impact Project ‘Life’ : A Temple of humanitarian Services LBC : Centre of Excellence in Transfusion Medicine Life Time Achievement Award Chandrakant Koticha Founder- Life Blood Centre