Delhi man's 21,000 KM blood donation walk reaches Nagaland

Kohima: Driven by a noble cause, Kiran Verma, a man from Delhi, embarked on a walking journey to cover 21,000 kilometers across India to create awareness about blood donation. Verma’s determination brought him to Nagaland where he has been advocating for more blood donors.

The 48-year-old who began his journey from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 28, 2021, covered the districts of Dimapur, Chumoukedima, Niuland, Tseminyu, Wokha, Mokokchung, Longleng, Mon, Tuensang, Zunheboto and Kohima while in the state.

Interacting with a section of reportions at Tokefe in Kohima on Tuesday, Verma said, “The reason I came to Nagaland is because blood donation here is very low and there is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDs. There are only six blood banks out of which very few people come forward to donate blood. My request is to encourage people to come forward and donate blood because nobody should die waiting for blood, not just in Nagaland but across the country”.

Verma’s mission is to spread awareness about blood donation among people so that “Nobody should die waiting for blood in India after 31^st December 2025”. Asked why a specific deadline was set, Verma said that there has to be an end date to encourage 5 million new blood donors by 2025, a target he opined as achievable.

Verma first donated his blood in June 2017. So far, he has made 48 blood donations. In Nagaland, Verma met local residents, government officers and ministers, including Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along.

On why he chose to walk rather than ride, Verma said that as he embarked on a serious mission, he hoped that his messaged would be seriously regarded if he walked rather than opt for other means of transport.

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