Selva Brindha, a 33-year-old homemaker from Kattur, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, has donated more than 300 litres of breast milk to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) Milk Bank between April 2023 and February 2025.
Her extraordinary effort, accounting for nearly half of the milk bank’s total collection during 2023-24, has nourished thousands of premature and critically ill newborns across the state. Her generosity earned her entries in both the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records, with hospital officials set to felicitate her at the World Breastfeeding Week valedictory event in August 2025.
A Lifesaving Contribution to Infant Health
Brindha’s 300.17 litres of donated milk were vital in providing much-needed nutrition to fragile infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Premature babies require 20 to 40 millilitres of milk per feeding, up to 12 times a day; Brindha’s donation has thus fed thousands who may not have had access to maternal milk otherwise.
Initially encouraged by the Amirtham Foundation NGO and supported by doctors like paediatrician Dr S Padmapriya, Brindha overcame societal stigma and personal health challenges such as weight loss to sustain her commitment. Hospital officials have praised her unwavering dedication and the profound impact of her contribution on infant survival rates.
Background and Personal Motivation
Brindha’s journey into milk donation began following the NICU admission of her newborn daughter for neonatal jaundice. Asked to pump milk for feeding her child, she was encouraged to donate excess milk to other infants with parental consent.
This experience, coupled with support from healthcare professionals and the Amirtham Foundation, motivated her to donate regularly despite prevalent myths, superstitions, and health concerns. Her story highlights the importance of community awareness, empathy, and encouragement in promoting breast milk donation as a critical component of neonatal care.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Selva Brindha’s inspiring generosity embodies the power of individual actions accompanied by systemic support to transform healthcare outcomes. Her example challenges the stigma around breast milk donation and invites communities to embrace empathy and solidarity in nurturing vulnerable newborns.
The Logical Indian encourages greater promotion and normalisation of breast milk donation through collaborative efforts by society and healthcare systems.
