'My son will live in them': Mother of 8-year-old Odisha boy whose organs were donated after death

"Now, we can console ourselves that our son saved the lives of others, and will live in them." After the cremation of her eight-year-old son, who donated his organs, a mother in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, found solace in the belief that he would live on through others. Subhashree, the mother, expressed pride in her son's noble act, stating that despite his young age, he accomplished what many adults may not. Despite their best efforts, Subhajit's parents, Biswajit Sahu and Subhashree, couldn't save him. Therefore, they made the decision to donate all his organs, including his kidneys, lungs, liver, eyes, heart, and pancreas.

Subhajit, a second-grade student, was given full state honors at his cremation in Bhubaneswar. The ceremony included a guard of honor, attended by Police Commissioner Sanjeev Panda and DCP Prateek Singh. Subhajit had suffered a brain seizure while taking a test at school and slipped into a coma. The police commissioner mentioned that honoring Subhajit with a guard of honor aligns with the state government's policy to encourage organ donation.

This initiative was announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who stated that organ donors' last rites would be performed with full state honors. Previously, a 14-year-old organ donor, Damayanti Mahanta, received similar honors in Puri. Declared brain dead due to chronic kidney disease, her parents consented to organ donation after she suffered a brain stroke. Surgeons at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar retrieved her liver, which was transported to New Delhi through a green corridor.


The state government's recognition of organ donors includes the Suraj Award, established in 2020, in memory of a brain-dead organ donor from Ganjam district who saved six lives. Additionally, the next of kin of organ donors receive Rs 5 lakh from the chief minister's relief fund annually on World Organ Donation Day, observed on August 13. Through these initiatives, the government aims to raise awareness and encourage more people to donate organs, ultimately saving lives. (With PTI inputs)