Tiruchirappalli: In an unexpected act of maternal generosity, Selva Brindha, a 33-year-old homemaker from Trichy, Tamil Nadu, donated over 300 litres of breast milk to a government hospital milk bank, making a contribution that helped nourish and save thousands of critically ill and premature newborns across the state.
Her selfless act earned her a place in both the India of Book of records and the Asia Book of Records.
Who is Selva Brindha?
Living in Kattur with her husband and two children, Brindha began her journey in April 2023 after a personal experience changed her life. Her newborn daughter needed care in the neonatal intensive care unit, where she witnessed the life-saving importance of donor breast milk. Once her milk supply exceeded her own child’s needs, she began donating, and never stopped.
“It wasn’t easy at first. I lost weight and faced scepticism. But once I learned that pumping milk burns calories and doesn’t harm health, I kept going. Over time, I grew emotionally connected to the cause," she told The Times of India.
Between April 2023 and February 2025, Brindha donated a total of 300.17 litres to the milk bank at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Trichy, which is nearly half of its total donor milk collection in 2023-24.
Setting Records, Saving Lives
A single newborn typically requires 20-40 ml of milk per feeding, up to 12 times a day. Brindha’s contributions are estimated to have fed thousands of fragile infants.
Dr S Padmapriya, paediatrician and head of the hospital’s milk bank, called her contribution “extraordinary,” and confirmed she will be honoured during the World Breastfeeding Week valedictory function on August 7.
With quiet strength and powerful resolve, Brindha said her family stood by her throughout. “Even a small contribution can nourish a baby who desperately needs it,” she added, calling for more awareness and open conversations around breast milk donation. “Once people understand it’s about saving lives, the hesitation fades.”
