A grief-stricken Rotarian couple gives Jeevandaan to four people
When the strapping young Srikanth, an engineering undergraduate just beginning his career in Hyderabad, was on his way to his grandmother’s house on his 26th birthday on Sep 24 to seek her blessings, fate had other plans for him.
He was riding a motorbike and a dog suddenly ran across his path, right in front of his two-wheeler. In an effort to try and save it, he swerved wildly and crashed on the road, sustaining grievous head injuries.
My wife and I decided that even though we were grieving and our suffering would be lifelong, we can make four other families happy.
— Rtn Bikkina Chakravarthi
Srikanth, the son of Bikkina Chakravarthi, a past president of RC Mandapeta, who has also been an assistant governor of RID 3020, was hospitalised for 25 days, and even though he valiantly fought his injuries after undergoing surgery at the Global Hospital, Hyderabad, several post-operative complications left him brain-dead, leaving his father, mother Bhanu and sister Srilekha in a whirlpool of sorrow and pain.
But even though engulfed in the deep pain of having lost her young son, his mother Bhanu plucked up the courage to discuss with Chakravarthi the possibility of donating their son’s organs under the Telangana government’s Jeevandan (cadaver transplant scheme) so that even in his death the youngster could help others.
The father readily agreed, and in the third week of October, Srikanth’s heart, two kidneys and liver were donated, giving a new lease of life to four people. The recipients included another 26-year-old youth, suffering from a weak heart, who has now got a healthy, strong heart ticking in his chest cavity, thanks to the generosity and timely intervention of Srikanth’s parents.
Speaking to Rotary News Chakravarthi said his son was not only absolutely healthy but also full of life and joy and had a huge circle of friends. “My wife and I decided that even though we were grieving and mourning his loss, and our suffering would be lifelong, we had it in our power to make four other families happy. That gave us some happiness.” They would have loved to know who were the recipients of their son’s heart and other organs, “but privacy laws of the government do not allow the hospital to reveal that information.”
Srikanth’s parents are still learning about the special qualities of his son, a Paul Harris Fellow. “His friends are now telling us that he was extremely generous and kind-hearted, and if anybody needed any help, he would not hesitate to do his best to help them.”
Srilekha, his sister, says she misses her brother terribly, and can never forget his love for food and passion for music. “He would eat all kinds of food, including junk food and was very fond of different kinds of music, particularly film songs and classical music.”
But along with her parents, she too is happy that her brother lives on in four others and this gesture of her parents will bring them and her a sense of peace.
