Living Kidney Donation: For Donors and Families
Who can donate a kidney, what the evaluation involves, and the protections for donors under Indian law.
Last updated: 2026-09-24
Living donation is when a healthy person gives one of their two kidneys to someone with kidney failure. You can live a full, healthy life with a single kidney.
Who can donate
- Near relatives under THOTA — spouse, parents, siblings, children, grandparents
- Non-relatives only after committee approval confirming the donation is altruistic and unpaid
The evaluation
A donor goes through a thorough medical, surgical and psychological assessment, independent of the recipient’s care — blood group, tissue typing, kidney function, imaging and heart checks.
No payment for an organ is lawful in any form. Only reimbursement of documented expenses and genuine lost earnings is allowed.
Frequently asked questions
Is kidney donation safe for the donor?
Living donation has a strong safety record at accredited centres. The remaining kidney grows and compensates.
Can a donor change their mind?
Yes, at any point up to surgery, without giving a reason.