BERHAMPUR: Losing Priyankarani Raju at the young age of 26 was a irreparable loss for her family. But undeterred by the setback, her husband V Sameer Raju and father-in-law V Dharma Raju decided to donate her kidneys.
The family from Digapahandi was conferred ‘Suraj Award’ for their selfless act at a meeting held to observe Organ Donation Day at the Collectorate in Chhatrapur on Thursday. Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro, on behalf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik handed over a letter of recognition along with `5 lakh to Priyankarani’s family at the event.
Priyankarani was critically injured in a road mishap in the last week of January and died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on February 4.
As per her family’s wish, a team of doctors from SCB Medical College and Hospital reached Bhubaneswar, removed her kidneys and transplanted them on a patient.
Later Priyankarani’s body was handed over to her family members who performed the last rites at Swargadwar in Puri.