They say, ‘If you are donating money, that means you are giving food! But if you are donating blood, that means you are giving life!’ That’s true. But do you know your 1 unit (450 ml) of blood can save three precious lives? So it’s not just blood, but it’s a life in the form of liquid.
Today, we feature Tanuj Goyal, who has pulled thousands of people out of death’s clutch by donating and arranging blood for them. Currently, he is just a student studying law and preparing for UPSC. But he has been working in this field for many years. He created a group of donors that provided blood in emergency cases. Let us know about his life and achievements more.
Tanuj Goyal – Founder Friends2Help
I’m Tanuj Goyal. I hail from Tohana, which is a small village in Haryana. Currently, I’m pursuing law and preparing for the UPSC exam to serve the country in a better way. Apart from it, I’m running an organization that provides blood in time of need.
It all started when I was in 11th standard. My father (Sat Bhushan Goyal) is a journalist, and he used to donate blood frequently. Within his life span, he has donated blood 100 times. I used to accompany him to blood donation camps and other social programs. His spirit inspired me a lot, and deep down in my heart, I began to think about donating blood.
At the age of 17 and a half, I donated my blood for the first time. Usually, the minimum age is 18, but I couldn’t wait anymore. My first experience brought a massive change to my life. Something shifted inside me when I thought about the life my blood was going to save. It was indeed a beautiful feeling.
Then I decided to do something in this field only. On 15 July 2015, I created a WhatsApp group named Friends 2 Help (a countrywide network of blood donors) in which I added people who volunteered to donate blood. The main motive to create this group was to help patients in their time of need. There are such emergency cases where the demand for blood is immediate, and they need fresh blood.
In these emergency cases, arranging a donor of a particular blood group on the spot could be a tedious task. That’s where I started helping people. Initially, the group had 30 members, but I kept adding more people to widen my network. Within a short time, the organization crossed domestic borders and reached the other neighboring states.
Whenever someone needed a donor, they would call me. Throughout the time, I had built connections with volunteers of multiple cities. So to meet the demand, I’d go through the contact list, call each person individually in that area to ask about it. If I find anyone, then I’d introduce the donor to the patient’s family member. That’s how I worked.
Later, I ordered badges of my organization from Mumbai for recognition and conducted Rakatdata Jodo Abhiyanas. I went to multiple colleges and camps to spread awareness and to encourage others. I learned a lot about medical conditions and blood donation as I had to talk to multiple doctors. I did it because I didn’t want them to think I had no idea about the work.
Then the group went viral through social media, and more donors connected with me. I was running 40 WhatsApp groups in different states. So I directly connected the donor with the patient’s family member. Now, if they needed blood, they could directly contact the donor of their city. I was running a group that had blood coordinators, and that’s how I expanded the organization.
In 2017, we registered Friends2Help Reg.01440 as a society under the provisions of the Society Act. During this registration allocation of various responsible designations were assigned, which involved President Sh. Vijay Bansal (Bablo), Ladies Wing President Smt. Pummy Bhutani, Legal Advisor Sh. Aditya Bhatnagar Advocate, Special Advisors Sh.Nikhil Jain & Sh. Sunil Bansal. For the effective running of this organization, we perform our responsibilities with collective coordination.
Over five years, Friend2Help has saved uncountable patients, and till now, we have donated 1.25 lacs units of blood. Many celebrities and ministers have contacted us to get the blood. I have donated blood more than 20 times in an emergency, and the count is still running. Moreover, the entire work is free of cost. No donor has ever charged money for donating blood. Patients only pay blood bank fees for the testing and collecting process.
Till now, I have been applauded and recognized on various stages. In 2019, I was awarded the ‘Roll of Honour’ by Alma Mater Punjab University for working in the blood donation area. After learning about my organization, the Election Department of Haryana appointed me to ‘District Sweep Brand Ambassador 2019’ of Fatehabad District.
Then at IIT Delhi, I received ‘The Campus Connect – Rex Karamveer Global Young Leaders Fellowship & Karamveer Chakra Award 2019. The award was given in collaboration with iCONGO and the United Nations. Recently, I have achieved Jagran Josh Education Award 2021 by Jagran Josh Media Group. I have delivered a good number of speeches in various programs and colleges.
But what matters more for me is the love that I receive from people. I remember an incident that made me emotional. I was in PGI, and everyone discussed my achievements, so one elder came and touched my feet. He started crying and said, ‘No one thinks about us, and here you are doing a lot.’ I got tears in my eyes. It was indeed a proud moment, not because an elder touched my feet. No, I don’t appreciate it, but the love and respect he held in his eyes for me. It mattered a lot to me.
Another experience that I’d like to share with you, on 15 June 2020, a police officer named Munshi Sitaram got injured in a scrimmage. A bullet had passed through his feet during the scrimmage, and he was referred to Sapra Hospital Hisar. He needed AB+ blood, and Mr. Mohit Kumar contacted me to arrange it. I went through the group and arranged it within the given time then he was saved. There have been numerous incidents like this where I got a chance to save someone. Trust me; their new life is my real reward.
In the end, I want to say blood donation is a great social work, and you must do it. Blood donation is beyond caste, creed, religion, gender, and social status. It truly displays unity in diversity. Nowadays, people do not talk to each other face to face. Authentic relationships have gone down. You can donate blood in the name of your loved ones. It will truly create a blood relation with the person. So please donate blood at least once in your life. Your little contribution can be proven helpful in saving the lives of the citizens.
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Such a inspiring man you are. Really grateful to ur mother that she has brought a humanity in this society. Hats off to u man. Keep growing and helping like always. You will surely reach ur destination with bright colors.
Will be grateful to see you a respectful IAS in future!!!!