Women provided the majority of living organ donations in India while men received the bulk of transplants in 2025 [1].
This disparity highlights a significant imbalance in the healthcare system, raising concerns about gender equity regarding who provides life-saving organs and who ultimately accesses them [2].
According to data released by the Union Health Ministry, women constituted 68% of living organ donors in 2025 [1]. In contrast, men represented 78% of the organ recipients during the same period [1]. The figures suggest a pattern where women are more likely to donate organs, but men are more likely to be the beneficiaries of these procedures.
Despite the gender imbalance, the overall volume of transplants in India has reached a new milestone. The country performed 20,138 organ transplants in 2025 [3]. This marks the first time India has crossed the 20,000 mark for annual procedures [3].
The growth in total transplant numbers indicates an expanding medical infrastructure and increased availability of organs. However, the Union Health Ministry data reveals that this growth has not been distributed equally across genders [2].
Health officials and advocates said this gap is a critical area for review. The disparity between the high percentage of female donors and the high percentage of male recipients suggests systemic differences in how transplant services are accessed and provided nationwide [2].
“Women constitute 68% of living organ donors in India.”
The data suggests a structural gender imbalance in India's medical landscape. While the overall increase in transplant volume shows technological and systemic progress, the gap between donors and recipients indicates that women may face higher social or familial pressure to donate while experiencing lower rates of access to receiving organs.
