Itanagar, October 13 – Kiran Verma, a dedicated social worker, embarked on a remarkable journey for blood awareness in India. His mission is to make “Nobody should die waiting for blood in India after December 31, 2025.” Verma began this incredible 21,000-kilometer walk from Thiruvananthapuram on December 28, 2021, aiming to create the world’s longest blood awareness campaign conducted by an individual.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, voluntary blood donation in India has decreased significantly over the past three years, leading to shortages in blood banks and hospitals. Verma’s walk is an inspiring effort to encourage around 5 million new blood donors to contribute and prevent future shortages.
Verma’s journey has taken him through numerous cities and districts, covering more than 16,400 kilometers across 210 districts. On October 2, 2023, he reached Itanagar in the Kamrup district, marking a significant milestone in his journey.
Notably, on April 9, 2023, Kiran Verma was invited to appear on the Kapil Sharma Show, and on June 19, 2023, he achieved the unique record of crossing three nations – Bangladesh, India, and Nepal – in a single day on foot through the Siliguri corridor.
To support his mission, 126 blood donation camps have been organized throughout the country, resulting in the collection of more than 26,722 units of blood. Additionally, over 8,000 individual blood donors have contributed to blood banks in India and abroad to support the campaign.
On September 15, 2022, Verma inaugurated a blood bank in Hyderabad in honor of PV Narasimha Rao, constructed by his family members. To further raise awareness, a 3.5-kilometer marathon was organized in Varanasi, attracting more than 100 participants.
Kiran Verma’s next destinations include Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, and other parts of Northeast India.
The underlying cause of Verma’s mission dates back to 2016 when he donated blood to a family from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, only to discover that his blood had been sold, and the family resorted to desperate measures, including prostitution, to cover medical expenses. This event prompted him to dedicate his life to ensuring that no one dies due to a lack of blood in India by 2025.
In India, every day, over 12,000 people face difficulties in obtaining blood, leading to more than 3 million deaths due to blood shortages. To achieve his goal, Verma seeks to engage and mobilize the community to create a culture of blood donation in the country.
Kiran Verma is the founder of the “Change With One Foundation,” which operates two programs: “Simply Blood,” the world’s first virtual blood donation platform, and “Change With One Meal,” which provides affordable meals in Delhi. His tireless efforts have already made a substantial impact, with “Simply Blood” saving more than 35,000 potential lives through blood donation.
