DEHRADUN: In a profoundly moving act of selflessness, the parents of an eight-day-old infant who recently passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, have donated their child’s body for medical education. This decision, made through overwhelming grief, aims to ensure their baby's brief existence contributes to saving future lives.
The infant, born on January 2, to Sandeep Ram and Hansi Devi of Chamoli, suffered from a severe congenital condition—a lack of nerve bundles (Ganglia) in the intestines. Despite undergoing surgery at AIIMS on January 4, the newborn succumbed to refractory septic shock on Sunday.
After the child’s death, the family was approached by the AIIMS nursing staff, who connected them with Sanchit Arora, Project Leader of the Mohan Foundation, Uttarakhand. Arora, accompanied by Gopal Narang, Charter President of the Lions Club Rishikesh and an eye donation activist, visited the bereaved parents.
After giving their consent, Arora coordinated with the Anatomy Department at AIIMS Rishikesh and completed all formalities to hand over the infant’s body for academic purposes. Dr. Sriloy Mohanty, Public Relations Officer of AIIMS Rishikesh, confirmed the development to this newspaper. "The eight-day-old newborn passed away during treatment. The family generously donated the body to AIIMS."
Speaking about the decision, the child’s father, Sandeep Ram, shared his grief and the reason behind the donation.
"Our child had a severe intestinal ailment right from birth. Despite all efforts, we could not save them. This is the greatest sorrow of our lives," Sandeep Ram said. "When Sanchit Arora told us about body donation, we immediately thought that even if our child could not remain in this world, their body could become the hope for another child’s life."
He added, "The only feeling behind this difficult decision was that the death of our child should become the light in someone else's life. With this thought, we dedicated our newborn’s body to the study of medical students and for the welfare of humanity."
Dr. Mohanty said the donated body will now be used by students at AIIMS Rishikesh for study and research, helping future doctors learn and possibly save the lives of other children. He added, "This tiny body, lost too soon, has secured an enduring legacy in the pursuit of medical knowledge."