Ludhiana/National News - Dr. Jai Gopal Jolly, better known as ‘Father of Transfusion Medicine in India’ passes away

Ludhiana, October 7, 2013: Dr. Jai Gopal Jolly, better known as the ‘Father of Transfusion Medicine in India’ has passed away on 5th October 2013 at the age of 87. Dr. Jolly was instrumental in establishing State-of-Art Blood Bank in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. During his extensive and illustrated career, Dr. Jolly served as visiting faculty in DMC & H.

Born in Rawalpindi (Now in Pakistan), he obtained his LSMF from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. He proceeded on to complete his MBBS and MD from SGPGI Lucknow, before becoming the Head of Department of Transfusion Medicine in PGIMER, Chandigarh.  According to available information with www.cityairnews.com he was the founder of the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh and founder President of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohematology.

He was actively involved in making blood component therapy easily available all over Punjab and worked on the motto of Economy in Blood, i.e. benefitting more than one patient with one unit of blood by breaking it into components.

He championed the cause of voluntary blood donation and his birthday on October 1 is celebrated as National Blood Donation Day in India. He was the strongest advocate of safety of blood and was pioneer in the field.

While reminiscing about his experiences with Dr. Jolly, Dr. Daljit Singh, Principal, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana said “He was the pillar on which the blood bank of DMC&H was setup. He was visionary and benevolent.”

“Dr. Jolly was a remarkable transfusionist and he was always looking for ways to improve the existing transfusion regime” said Dr. L S Chawla, Former Principal, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. “I remember him for his hands-on approach and visionary efforts.”

In the recent years, Dr. Jolly has been concentrating his activities primarily towards the academic development of transfusion medicine and to provide free factors to hemophiliacs.

“He was a great colleague and a better human being. His immense knowledge about transfusion was second only to the compassion he had for children with Thalassemia and Hemophilia” said Dr. B D Sabharwal, Former Head, Department Of Pathology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana.

 “He was instrumental in starting MD Immuno-Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. Apart from being a great teacher and colleague, he was the mentor of our institution and helped us reach where we are today” said Dr. Amarjit Kaur, Professor and Head, Department Of Immuno-Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. “The world of transfusion medicine will miss him and we shall continue to strive for better on the path that he has shown us all.” www.cityairnews.com