In keeping with the annual tradition of service inspired by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the annual blood donation drive is usually organised around the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola that is celebrated across the globe on 31st July, it is hereby referred to as the JAAI BLOOD DONATION DRIVE by the Jesuit Alumni Associations of INDIA.
We the VINCENTIAN OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION (VOBA-PUNE) organised the 13th Annual Blood Donation Drive in association with Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) Dept of Immunohaematology & Blood Transfusion (IHBT) on Saturday, 1st August 2026 at St. Vincent’s High School (Gulati Hall) Pune from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm.
The beneficiaries of this drive have been mainly for medical and emergency needs of defence personnel, their dependents, military hospitals and to the weaker section of society.
Parents, ex-Students, ex-Staff, Teachers, current Staff, support staff and residents from neighbouring societies were encouraged to come and donate their precious blood, which means the world to a patient in need. As always, the arrangements in the expansive Gulati Hall were the best. The doctors and nursing staff were professional and donors received the best care.
As per medical protocol, donors were checked (their weight, their haemoglobin count, their medical history. . .) before their blood (350 ml) was bagged.
The medical team were given a sumptuous snack box from while every donor was served Poha and Tea catered by”
HOTT Catering Services” in addition, as a token of appreciation VOBA presented a Multipurpose Pouch and sweets, a Blood Donor Certificate & a Keychain was issued & presented by AFMC-IHBT Bank
The Donors are 01 Vincentian (not yet VOBA member) 08 VOBA members, 03 parents,02 Teachers (Includes the Principal) 2 support staff, 1 VINCA Member & 07 locals (who are neither ex-students, parents, teaching/non-teaching staff) they graciously donated their precious blood. About 02 potential donors couldn’t donate as their medical criteria didn’t permit.
On this auspicious occasion we could collect 24 units of blood, for which the Drive Organisers VOBA, received Certificate and a Memento in Appreciation, from AFMC-IHBT
We were honoured to have Rev. Fr. Titus Thangaraj, SJ., Principal, St. Vincent’s High School & Junior College, to preside over the function, 15 members of the medical team were presented with a token of appreciation by the hands of Fr. Titus Thangaraj and Executive Committee members Mr. Arthur Morris, Mr. Vikram Kering, Mr. Nicky Picardo.
Special thanks to, Ms. Leonora Mendis, President of Vincent College Alumni (VINCA) for being with us for quite a few hours and in assisting us by writing the Donor Certificates.
The following VOBA Executive Committee members attended the drive, Thanks to Arthur Morris, Vikram Kering, Nicky Picardo & Treasurer-Khawaja Inamdar
In recognition and heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors, a token of appreciation was presented to Mr. Nitin Joshi, President of Ex Loyola Alumni Network (ELAN) Mr. Praphulla Gaikwad, former Secretary of Vincent College
Alumni (VINCA) Mr. Aziz Poonawalla, Vincentian (75 Batch) Mr. Ronald Pereira, Vincentian (78 Batch) Mr. Arthur Morris, ECM (73 Batch) Nicky Picardo (67 Batch) and Richard Fernandes, President-VOBA.
The drive concluded with a sumptuous veg packed lunch catered by Good Craft Caterers, for the AFMC medical team VOBA EC members & Vincent’s Support Staff
Last but not the least, thanks to the HOD, OIC and OIC of the Drive, the entire medical team of AFMC-IHBT Blood Bank for their diligence and execution of the Blood Drive, Many thanks to Fr. Titus Thangaraj SJ, Principal (SVHS) & Ex Officio Member (VOBA) for providing us with the best infrastructure, the management and staff of St.
Vincent’s High School & Junior College for their great support, we also wish to thank our school support staff Rajkumar & Rajesh for setting up the hall and to all the named/unnamed supporters for their great Vincentian spirit which made this Drive a great grand success.
Vincenti Dabitur !
(By Richard Fernandes, PRESIDENT-VOBA)
