SAMBALPUR: At a time when the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla continues to face an acute shortage of cadavers for anatomy teaching, a Sambalpur family has set an example by donating bodies of five of its members and relatives over the last eight years for medical education.
The latest donation came after the death of retired teacher and noted social worker Saudamini Nanda (82), who passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bhubaneswar on Thursday morning. Honouring the social worker’s wish, her family donated her mortal remains to VIMSAR on Friday morning. Saudamini’s was the fifth body donated by the family since 2018.
The earlier body donations included Saudamini’s husband and Sarvodaya worker Bhagabat Prasad Nanda in 2020, elder sister Shakuntala Sadangi in 2023, 19-year-old grandson Saisharan in 2024 and relative Jagamohan Mishra in 2018.
The gesture comes at a time when VIMSAR’s Anatomy department is struggling with a severe shortage of cadavers. According to the department, the institute has received only about 40 donated bodies over the last 12 years despite the increasing demand for anatomy teaching.
Head of Anatomy department Dr Mamata Sar said the department honours donors by displaying their photographs in the Anatomy Museum, where portraits of 35 donors are currently exhibited. Describing body donation as a lasting legacy, she appealed to more people to come forward, saying the noble act not only advances medical education but also keeps the memory of donors alive through generations of future doctors.
Born on April 11, 1944 in Sambalpur, Saudamini was the daughter of freedom fighter Dayanand Satpathy. She began her teaching career in 1969 at Bada Bazar Girls’ School, now Dutika Sahu High School, under Sambalpur municipality and retired in 2002.
She later served as the secretary of Sambalpur Municipality Secondary Teachers’ Association for several years.
Beyond teaching, she played a pioneering role in strengthening women’s organisations in Sambalpur. She was a founding member of Utkal Mahila Samiti, remained associated with Nari Seva Sangha for nearly three decades and actively worked on women’s welfare and social issues.
After retirement, she joined the Congress and served as general secretary of the Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress. She also authored two books, ‘Saunta Smruti’ and ‘Bibidha Prasanga’. Her third book, ‘Paschim Odishare Agraganya’, is awaiting publication.
Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, deputy Leader of Opposition Prasanna Acharya and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das were among those who condoled her demise.
