Uttarakhand couple donate body of 2.5-day-old baby girl for medical education

For Ram Mahra and Nancy, the joy of becoming parents again on December 8 was short-lived as their baby girl died of a heart ailment just 60 hours after she was born. In the midst of their grief, however, the Uttarakhand couple decided to donate their infant daughter’s body for the purpose of medical education and research.

Mr. Mahra, a machine operator who dropped out of school after Class 8, said that he was guided toward body donation by his family doctor who is associated with Dadichi Dehdaan Samiti, an NGO which encourages body and organ donation. This case is likely to be the youngest body donation in the country, according to Krishna Kumar Arora, treasurer of the NGO, who said that a one-week-old baby’s body had been previously donated at AIIMS Delhi.

‘Making her immortal’

“As the doctor got to know about the death of my daughter, he asked us if we want to donate her body for medical education purpose. Initially, we were hesitant but then, my wife and I decided to go ahead with it,” he said.

A native of Purushottam Nagar village in Haridwar district, Mr. Mahra married Ms. Nancy four years ago. The baby, who died just two-and-a-half days after birth, was their second child. Though the extended family supported the couple in their decision to donate their child’s body, the final call was taken by Ms. Nancy, a home maker who had studied till Class 10.

“I lost my daughter before I could feel her properly. By donating her body, I am making her immortal. She will serve a greater cause for mankind which we couldnt do,” said the young mother, who is still admitted in the hospital after her delivery.

The body was donated to the Anatomy Department of Doon Medical College on Wednesday. “The baby, whose parents haven’t named her yet, was named Saraswati by the office-bearers of the Dehdaan Samiti. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge and this baby girl too will help in making students learn the anatomy of a infant through her,” said Rajesh Maurya, a doctor in the Anatomy department.