Bhubaneswar: Pushpanjali Kanhar, mother of Jaga and Balia — the craniopagus twins whose complex separation surgery captured the nation’s heart- on Tuesday remembered Dr Ashok Kumar Mahapatra as a “God in human form” who pulled her family out of their darkest hours.
Expressing her profound grief over his death, an inconsolable Pushpanjali shared that Dr Mahapatra gave her child a new life. “He was God in human form for us. His loss is extremely painful. He gave my child a new life, and it is heartbreaking to realise that he is no longer with us,” she shared.
She also voiced deep anxiety regarding the future medical care and recovery journey of her surviving son, Jaga. Admitting that imagining Jaga’s ongoing treatment path without his visionary doctor feels daunting, she noted that Dr Mahapatra had been a constant pillar of strength and guidance for their family.
The Doctor & The Surgery
The Padma Shri award-winning neurosurgeon passed away at the age of 74 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS New Delhi on Monday, following a brain stroke. He was initially admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar after complaining of a severe headache before being shifted to AIIMS New Delhi on October 2 as his condition deteriorated.
Dr Mahapatra’s name was forever etched in global medical history for leading the historic separation surgery of Jaga and Balia at AIIMS New Delhi. Hailing from a remote village in Odisha’s Kandhamala district, the brothers were born joined dangerously at the head, sharing vital blood vessels and brain tissue. Undertaking a complex challenge previously unattempted on Indian soil, Dr Mahapatra assembled and spearheaded a massive multidisciplinary team of medical specialists. Following meticulous preliminary planning and a staged procedure starting in August 2017, the final intricate 16-hour separation was successfully executed in October 2017.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, he held key leadership roles across premier medical institutions. His legacy includes serving as Vice-Chancellor at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, Head of Neurosurgery at AIIMS New Delhi and Director of SGPGIMS Lucknow (2006–2009). He also steered AIIMS Bhubaneswar through its formative years as its founding Director from 2012 to 2016.
Born in Biranarasinghpur village in Puri district, he completed his intermediate studies at SCS College, Puri, earned his MBBS from MKCG Medical College in Berhampur, and completed his postgraduate training at AIIMS New Delhi, where he worked for 36 years.
In recognition of his monumental service to medical science and healthcare infrastructure, the central government honoured him with Padma Shri in 2025.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sadness over his demise, praising Dr Mahapatra as a pioneering figure who greatly enriched healthcare services and brought immense pride to both Odisha and the entire country. Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and other dignitaries also condoled the demise.
According to sources, the mortal remains of eminent neurosurgeon will be flown to Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. He will be accorded a Guard of Honour by the Odisha government before his final rites are performed in Puri.
