Odisha CM Institutes ‘Suraj’ Award To Fete Organ Donors

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced an award of Rs 5 lakh for Suraj Behera’s parents, who had won many hearts by donating heart, eyes, kidneys and liver of their dead son.

“They have done an inspiring and exemplary humanitarian act by donating six vital organs (both kidneys, liver, heart and both eyes) of their braindead son saving precious lives of others who were in need,” the CM said in a press note. 

Naveen said that award was in recognition of their ‘inspiring humane act’, which will motivate people in the state.

He further said that since the family had no proper house to live in, the state government will provide them homestead land and Biju Pucca Ghar.

“In addition to this, an annual award will be instituted in the name of ‘Suraj’ to felicitate donors of the state and institutions that motivate organ donation,” the CM added.

Suraj of Lalsingh village under Bhanja Nagar police limits in Ganjam district was working in a garment company in Surat.  He met with a severe accident on October 29 and was critically injured. Though the doctors tried to save him, his condition continued to deteriorate.

Four days later, he was declared brain dead. It was then that his parents, forgetting their sorrow, decided to donate his organs with the help of an NGO. His heart was transported to Mumbai to be transplanted in a woman.  Similarly, his other organs went to other persons.