In a bid to promote organ donation, state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an annual award in the name of 'Suraj' of Ganjam district, whose parents' donated six vital organs of their brain-dead son to save lives of others.
Suraj, who was a resident of Bhanjanagar in Ganjam District was working in Surat and got injured in a fatal road accident on October 29. After struggling for his life for a few days in the hospital, he was declared brain dead by the doctors on November 2.
His parents decided to donate his organs- heart, liver, kidneys, and eyes, to save the life of others.
His heart was carried by plane to Fortis Hospital in Mumbai and was transplanted in the body of a woman, both his kidneys and the liver were transplanted in the bodies of three persons in Ahmedabad and his eyes were donated to two persons in Surat.
Chief Minister Patnaik on Monday met Suraj's father, Babuli Sethi, and mother, Gitanjali Sethi, and highly appreciated them for their noble act saying "it will be an exemplary inspiration to society".
Patnaik has announced an award of Rs 5 lakhs from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) in recognition of the inspiring act.