As per her wishes, her body has been donated to PGIMER Chandigarh for research
Since there is to be no cremation, her family has shared that well-wishers can join them in celebrating her life by lighting a candle in her memory on Sunday (December 1, 2024) from 11 am to 1 pm at the Krishens’ Sector 8 residence
As wife of Saroop Krishen, the first chief secretary of Haryana, which was carved out along with Himachal Pradesh in the trifurcation of (greater) Punjab in 1966, she got exposed to the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the prestigious PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research) Chandigarh. Thus began a decades long journey which would place her at the forefront of the blood donation movement in the country, in acknowledgement of which the nation conferred on her the fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri in 1972.
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In her passing at age 95 in Chandigarh in the early hours of Saturday (Nov 30, 2024) after a brief illness following a fall, Kanta Krishen completed her selfless commitment to the welfare of society. There is to be no cremation. As per her wishes, her body has been donated to the PGIMER Chandigarh for research.
According to her son-in-law, well-known lawyer Manmohan (Mac) Sarin, well-wishers can join the family in celebrating her life by lighting a candle in her memory on Sunday (December 1, 2024) from 11 am to 1 pm at the Krishens’ residence #83, Sector 8, Chandigarh.
The mighty inspiring woman, whose voluntary work, spread over six decades, helped save millions of lives, leaves behind a son, Sanjiv Krishen, married to Deepa; two daughters – Anu, married to Purinder Ganju, and Niti Sarin, married to Manmohan Sarin; seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Among Kanta Krishen’s other notable achievements was her spirited legal battle, along with other associates, in filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by the organisation Common Cause which led to the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India in 1996 banning buying and selling of blood in India, which gave a fillip to donation and infusion of safe blood through highly regulated blood banks.
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Thereafter, she was responsible for persuading the Government of India to frame the National Blood Policy.
Kanta Krishen, as Secretary of the Blood Bank Society, established in 1964, spearheaded the voluntary blood donation movement first in Chandigarh, then North India and finally nationwide, making Chandigarh the fountain head of the safe blood movement. Later she also shouldered the responsibility as President of the Blood Bank Society. Niti and Mac Sarin are now helming the society as Secretary and President, respectively.
Her tireless work in educating the people about the harmlessness of blood donation, and in motivating lakhs of people to donate blood, was recognized by the Government of India by the conferment of a Padma Shri in 1972.
She was also the recipient of several other prestigious awards, including the President’s Gold Medal and the Mother Teresa Award from ISBTI (Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohematology), of which she was the Founder Secretary for 24 years.
Among Kanta Krishen’s varied interests were gardening, cooking, stitching, flower arrangements and Indian classical music. She was a Founder Member of the Indian National Theatre, an organization to promote Indian classical music.
Homage
While paying last respects to the gem of a woman, LifeInChandigarh.com hopes that her life inspires us all to commit ourselves to the selfless service of humanity to the best of our abilities!
