Bangalore, 16^th January 2024: In a story of selflessness that transcends the battlefield, two remarkable Army personnel have become heroes not with weapons but with a life-saving stem cell donation. Their story surpasses duty and borders, embarking on a remarkable journey, crossing the vast expanse of the country to donate stem cells and potentially save the lives of strangers battling blood cancer. This selfless act of commitment and compassion shines a light on the unwavering spirit of service that defines the Indian Armed Forces. Today, they stand alongside many such selfless donors who, along with DKMS-BMST, provide a new lease of life to blood cancer and blood disorder patients in India.

This Army Day, DKMS-BMST takes a moment to salute the unwavering commitment to making a difference.

Captain Cyrus joined the Indian Army driven by a desire to serve. But even amongst the brave ranks of Indian soldiers, his act of courage stands out. Already registered as a potential stem cell donor with DKMS-BMST, he received a life-altering call in December 2023. He was informed that his stem cells were a perfect match for a young patient who needed stem cell transplantation. To donate stem cells, he would have to travel thousands of miles away to Bangalore. Despite the logistical challenges and personal sacrifices involved, Cyrus’s decision was immediate. Without hesitation, he volunteered, stepping forward to offer a chance at life to someone he had never met.

“When I heard that my stem cells could give someone a second chance at life, there was no question in my mind,” Cyrus shared in a phone interview. “As soldiers, we take an oath to protect our nation and its people. This felt like an extension of that duty, a way to fight for someone’s life on a different battlefield.”

Fezal, a young Indian Army man, also had a similar experience. He registered as a potential blood stem cell donor with DKMS-BMST in 2019. Two years later, in September 2021, he came up as a match for a blood cancer patient. Without a moment’s hesitation, he set out on a strenuous journey, travelling from a remote location in North-East India for six days continuously, which even included a 60km walk, until he finally reached Bangalore to donate his blood stem cells.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Indian Army for their invaluable support to our cause. From defending our borders to rebuilding communities, our soldiers stand on the frontlines of hope and progress. They show us that even the most daunting challenges can be overcome with bravery, collaboration, and a shared vision for a better world. Your unwavering efforts are a beacon of light for us all, and we are humbled by your unwavering commitment. Thank you for showing us the true meaning of strength and resilience,” – Patrick Paul, CEO of DKMS-BMST Foundation India.

Every year, 15 January is commemorated as “Army Day” to remember the occasion when General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa took over the command of the Indian Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of Independent India.

In India, where over 70,000 people succumb to blood cancer annually yet only 30% of patients in need of a stem cell transplant can find HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen-tissue type) matching donors within their families. More than 70% of patients are looking for unrelated donors, but due to a lack of awareness, only 0.04% of the total Indian population is registered as potential stem cell donors. Given the significance of ethnic matching, the probability of Indian patients finding an HLA-matched stem cell donor is significantly higher when seeking donors among fellow Indians.

Underscoring the pressing scarcity of blood stem cell donors in the nation, Patrick Paul, CEO, DKMS BMST Foundation India said, “Every five minutes, a new case of blood cancer or a blood disorder, such as Thalassemia or Aplastic Anemia, is diagnosed in India. The availability of compatible blood stem cell donors remains a significant challenge for Indian patients in need of life-saving transplants. Numerous patients are in desperate need of a suitable stem cell donor for life-saving transplants. Our objective, in collaboration with these initiatives, is to enhance awareness about blood stem cell donation amongst various sections of the society.”

Today, more than 41 million potential unrelated donors are listed worldwide with stem cell donor centres and registries, of which only 0.6 million are Indians. This situation can only be changed by recruiting more potential blood stem cell donors from India. Registration takes only 5 minutes of your time. If you’re between 18 and 55 years and in general good health, take the first step to register as a blood stem cell donor by ordering your home swab kit at www.dkms-bmst.org/register

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Colonel B Santosh Babu of the Bihar regiment, Havildar Palani and Sepoy Ojha laid down their lives for India, the army confirmed earlier on Tuesday. “17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries. Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation,” the army’s fresh statement said on Tuesday evening.

The statement opened by saying Indian and Chinese troops “have disengaged” at the Galwan area where they earlier clashed on the night of June 15/16, indicating that they do not expect any fresh violence in the area.

India said the clash arose from “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo” on the border. “India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control. We expect the same of the Chinese side,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava.

The clash took place just as Chinese troops were getting ready to move away from a location per an agreement that was part of recent talks between the two sides to defuse tension. The Colonel was reportedly assaulted with stones and Indian soldiers retaliated, which led to close unarmed combat for several hours. The soldiers disengaged after midnight.

Beijing, in an aggressive statement, accused India of crossing the border, “attacking Chinese personnel”. China’s Foreign Ministry was quoted by Reuters as saying India should not take unilateral actions or stir up trouble.

The only admission of casualties on the Chinese side came from the editor of their government mouthpiece Global Times. “Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don’t be arrogant and misread China’s restraint as being weak. China doesn’t want to have a clash with India, but we don’t fear it,” tweeted Hu Xijin, Editor-in-Chief of Global

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The jawan who had opened fire also shot himself dead after the others were killed. The reason for the dispute is, however, unclear from now on. 

The injured soldiers will be brought to Raipur by helicopter. The Chhattisgarh Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were called on the spot for further investigation. 

The ITBP camp is in Kadenar in the Dhaodai region. Sources said that for 2 days there was a dispute between the soldiers about something. At 8.45 am on Wednesday morning, a soldier fired on the soldiers with his weapon. In this, 5 soldiers died on the spot, while 3 were injured. During treatment, another jawan died. Narayanpur SP Mohit Garg has confirmed the incident.

It has also been learned from the sources that the constable Masudul Rahman,started firing in anger, in which all the soldiers were killed. Finally, Rahman shot himself as well.

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