Chennai: An IT professional in Chennai has donated the bodies of both his parents to Theni medical college. A native of Dindigul, C. Kartheeban, 28, learnt that there was a shortage of bodies in medical colleges and students needed them for their studies.
Kartheeban’s mother, Lakshmi, passed away in 2011 and father, Chandramohan, in May 2013. It’s not people living in the city alone who are taking such enlightened decisions. Two farmers have done so as well.
Raman, 77, and Baluchamy, 75, of Sivagangai met B. Shanthakumar, dean of the Sivagangai medical college, a couple of days ago, and assured him that when they died, their families would reach their bodies to the institution for medical students’ use. Raman’s two sons, living abroad, and his daughter in Sivagangai, were initially hesitant, but agreed to their father’s decision. Raman said, “I told them that even after death, I would like to be of use to society. They appreciated my decision,” he told Deccan Chronicle.
Inspired by the act of farmers, a retired government official, Sundararajan, 75, also pledged his body after his death to dean Shanthakumar on Wednesday. He said his family would donate it to the college for medical studies.
Speaking to DC over the phone, dean Shanthakumar said, “Many are ready to donate blood and the families of the deceased are ready to give eyes and other organs.
But, when it comes to donation of the body, awareness is very low and many do not come forward to do it. The act of farmers is inspiring,” he said.
He added that the college had only four bodies with which to teach more than 100 students. “We need 10 cadavers for studies,” he said.
