A kidney recipient and a liver recipient respectively, the duo will be Kerala’s sole representatives at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany.
Published Aug 13, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 13, 2025 | 7:00 AM
S Sujith and Mithun Ashok
Synopsis: Mithun Ashok from Thiruvananthapuram and Sujith S from Kollam, both organ transplant recipients, will represent Kerala at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany, from 17 to 24 August. The duo, a kidney and a liver recipient respectively, will be honoured by the Kerala Health Department on World Organ Donation Day, 13 August.
From battling life-threatening illnesses to representing Kerala on a global sporting stage, Thiruvananthapuram’s Mithun Ashok and Kollam’s Sujith S are living proof of the power of second chances.
For Mithun, this is nothing short of a third shot at life.
A kidney recipient and a liver recipient respectively, the duo will be Kerala’s sole representatives at the World Transplant Games (WTG) in Dresden, Germany, from 17 to 24 August – carrying with them not just the state’s hopes, but a message on the life-saving magic of organ donation.
Honouring their remarkable feat, the state Health Department, in association with the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (K-SOTTO), will celebrate them with a felicitation ceremony at the Tagore Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram on 13 August, observed as World Organ Donation Day.
For Mithun, survival has always been about love. The 36-year-old SBI banker from Kerala has endured two kidney transplants, more than 320 dialysis sessions, three major surgeries, and countless minor procedures.
Mithun at a dart competition.
His guiding thought comes from Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl: “Those who have a ‘Why’ to live can bear almost any ‘How’.”
He told South First that his ‘Why’ was his family – the people who stood by him through every setback. When his first transplant in 2008 failed after 12 years, pneumonia pushed him back onto dialysis.
His sister stepped in as a donor in 2022, giving him a third shot at life. “I am still here because of love and prayers,” Mithun says. Post-surgery, tremors from heavy medication threatened even his job.
Searching for a remedy, he found darts – a sport demanding precision and focus. “I fell in love with it,” he says. Soon, he ranked 59th nationally, despite darts being virtually unknown in Kerala.
On 14 August, Mithun will fly to the World Transplant Games, competing in darts (singles and triples) and table tennis. Of the 57 Indians participating, only two are from Kerala. Delhi-based NGO Organ India, WTG’s India representative, is sponsoring the contingent.
For Mithun, this is not just about medals. He dreams of popularising darts in Kerala, starting an association, and spreading awareness about organ donation. “A cadaver donor can save eight lives. We need more people to register,” he says.
He urges fellow recipients not to isolate themselves for fear of infection: “Embrace life, stay active – it’s vital for both body and mind.”
For a man who has beaten the odds twice, the World Transplant Games is simply the next target on his board. And he’s aiming straight for the bullseye.
Kollam’s S Sujith knows the true meaning of second chances.
At 26, the physical education teacher’s life was upended by Wilson’s disease (a rare genetic disorder that leads to excessive copper accumulation in the body, particularly affecting the liver) and liver failure – just six months after his marriage.
“At first, we thought the cramps were due to physical activity. Then came the shocking diagnosis,” he recalls. Rumours swirled, branding him an alcoholic, but his truth was far from it. Hope came from the person who gave him life the first time – his mother, G Thara.
She donated a part of her liver, gifting him a new lease on life. Post-transplant, Sujith returned to his first love: sports.
A natural athlete since the seventh grade, he had played cricket, football, hockey, and captained SN College’s hockey team, even representing Kerala at the Junior National Hockey Championship in 2012.
Introduced to the Liver Foundation of Kerala, Sujith was encouraged by Kollam office-bearer Naseema to participate in the 2023 All India Transplant Games in Kochi.
S Sujith at the camp conducted by Organ India at Manav Rachna University as part of WTG.
There, he clinched silver in the 100m and 200m races and learned about the World Transplant Games from fellow participant Digvijay Singh. He told South First that financial doubts kept him from the Perth edition, but now, there’s no holding back.
In May, his participation in a camp in Faridabad qualified him for the WTG in Dresden, Germany. He will compete in both sprints (100m and 200m) and as part of the football team.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Sujith says, “Health is wealth. For organ recipients, exercise is a must. Failure and hurtful words will come, but we must move forward with a positive mindset.”
Now teaching at GHSS Perinad, he trains daily, driven by one goal – to bring home a medal for India, powered by a mother’s liver and an indomitable spirit.
For Mithun and Sujith, the WTG is far more than a sporting event – it is a stage to prove that life after transplant can be vibrant, competitive, and full of purpose.
The WTG raises public awareness on the life-saving power of organ donation, showcasing the health and fitness recipients can achieve, and giving hope to those still waiting.
As Kerala’s sole representatives, they carry not just the tricolour, but also a message of gratitude – to donors, families, and medical teams – reminding the world that second chances deserve to be lived to the fullest.
