Former ISRO official Ayyappan (75) will continue to live on through others. A resident of Poonithura Amrithagiri House, P. Ayyappan was critically injured in a bike accident at Tripunithura while returning after a temple visit on February 5. He was undergoing treatment at Amrita Hospital, Kochi, where doctors confirmed his brain death yesterday.
Ayyappan’s wife, Latha, had passed away earlier. Despite their profound grief, his daughter Dhanya, an employee at Amrita Hospital Blood Bank, and his son Dhanesh came forward to make the noble decision of organ donation. The procedures were completed through K-SOTTO, the state government agency.
Ayyappan’s right hand was transplanted at Amrita Hospital itself to Kishore (47), a native of Perunad in Pathanamthitta district, under the leadership of renowned surgeon Dr. Subramania Iyer, who led India’s first hand transplant surgery. A liver transplant was performed on a 58-year-old man from Kumbazha Vettur in Pathanamthitta district, also undergoing treatment at Amrita Hospital. The surgery was led by a medical team headed by Dr. Binoj S. T. and Dr. Sudheendran S. His eyes were donated to the eye bank.
The children stated that while the loss of their father is an immense sorrow, it is a source of comfort and pride that his organs have given a new lease of life to many others. They added that they deeply understand the importance of organ donation and that this was the greatest tribute they could offer their father.
After post-mortem procedures, the body was handed over to relatives with full honours. Prayer ceremonies were led by Swamis Jayadamritha Chaitanya and Samsiddhamritha Chaitanya. When Ayyappan’s body was kept for public homage at Amrita Hospital, doctors, staff, and others paid their last respects and offered a guard of honour.
