Kerala’s youngest organ donor laid to rest with state honours
Pathanamthitta (Kerala) (PTI): Kerala bid an emotional farewell to a 10-month-old girl who became the state’s youngest organ donor after her parents consented to donate her organs following her brain death.
She was laid to rest with state honours at Mallappally on Sunday.
Ministers and people from across the state reached the residence of Aalin Sherin Abraham to pay their last respects after her body was brought home this morning for the final rites.
Aalin Sherin was critically injured in a road accident on February 5 while travelling with her mother and maternal grandparents at Pallam near Kottayam on the MC Road.
She was the daughter of Arun Abraham and Sherin Ann John, residents of Mallappally in Pathanamthitta district.
Despite intensive medical efforts, doctors confirmed her brain death on February 12.
With the consent of her parents, the organ donation process was coordinated through the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO), officials said.
Her heart valve was sent to the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram; her liver to KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram; and her kidneys to the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.
Her eyes were donated to an eye bank.
Industries Minister P Rajeev said in a Facebook post on Sunday that the government had decided to accord state honours as a mark of respect to the infant, who, even in death, gave a new lease of life to five people.
“The government views with deep respect the decision taken by the parents, who upheld the noble example of organ donation despite their profound grief. The government also expresses its condolences to Aalin Sherin’s parents and family. Tributes are paid to the child,” he said.
Ministers V N Vasavan, Saji Cherian and Roshy Augustine, along with Congress leader P C Vishnunadh, MLA, paid homage after visiting the child’s residence.
A family member of one of the organ recipients also attended the funeral.
The body was later taken in a funeral procession to St Thomas CSI Church, Nedungadappally, in Kottayam district.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi, representing the Government of India, and Minister Veena George, representing the Kerala government, were present at the church for the funeral ceremony.
In his eulogy, Suresh Gopi said that while the child’s body was being laid to rest, she would continue to live through others following the noble act of saving multiple lives.
He said he had come to pay tribute on behalf of the nation, following the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“His prayers will also be with Aalin, along with the people gathered here,” Gopi said.
He added that the child’s organ donation sends a strong message to Kerala and noted that similar instances had occurred in New Delhi and Odisha, where one-year-old children donated their organs after being declared brain dead.
The funeral ceremony began at the church around 3.30 pm and concluded at about 4.45 pm.
The body was later brought outside the church, where state honours were accorded by police personnel.
By 5 pm, the final rites were performed at the cemetery, where she was laid to rest.
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Odisha caste row ends; children return to anganwadi centre, consume food cooked by Dalit helper
Kendrapara (Odisha) (PTI): A three-month-long caste row at an anganwadi centre in a village in Odisha's Kendrapara district ended on Monday as upper caste children returned to the facility and consumed food cooked by a Dalit woman helper.
Of the 20 children on the roll, 16 came to the anganwadi centre in Nuagaon village under Ghalimala gram panchayat with their parents and accepted the food cooked by the helper, with the absentees reporting ill.
The anganwadi centre remained shut since November 21 last year, following the appointment of Sharmistha Sethy, a Dalit woman, as a helper, with several upper caste families refusing to send their wards to the facility or even accept nutritious food items supplied by the government for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
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The caste row triggered nationwide outrage, and the matter was even raised in Parliament, with Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, voicing concern over caste discrimination in the workplace.
On Monday, Kendrapara Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Dipali Mishra and Rajnagar MLA Dhruba Charan Sahoo were present at the anganwadi centre to welcome the children.
"I served ragi ladoos to the children. Later, I cooked rice and 'dalma' (vegetable curry) and served the children. Seeing them eat the meals made me overjoyed. They also played with toys, bringing back life to the centre, which was left deserted for around three months," Sethy said.
"I hope caste discrimination will not lurk its ugly head in the village anymore," she added.
CDPO Mishra said the children, flanked by their guardians, had joyous moments at the centre.
"The centre functioned sans the children for almost three months due to some villagers' disagreement over the appointment of Sharmistha Sethy as the anganwadi centre helper. Now, the vibrancy is back," Mishra said.
On the absentees, the CDPO said they could not join as they are not well.
"We hope the absentee children will come to the centre on Tuesday as the dispute has been resolved. People have decided to relegate the differences to the background. This is heartening," she added.
Rajnagar MLA Dhurba Charan Sahoo said, "The issue is now a thing of the past. I hope the camaraderie among the villagers will remain intact."
Taking to X, Kendrapara MP and BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda said, "Delighted at children having a nutritious meal today at the Nuagaon anganwadi which I had reviewed yesterday and had a wonderful lunch along with local leaders and villagers. It was heartening to see the community coming together to ensure great beginnings for their children."
Panda, who hails from the Brahmin community, and other upper caste villagers joined a feast where Sethy served food to the guests on Sunday.
State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) member Sujata Nayak hailed the children's return to the centre and said the commission will launch an awareness drive aimed at safeguarding the rights of the children.
Kendrapara district sub-collector Arun Nayak had earlier said the matter was resolved in the presence of stakeholders, including members of the SCPCR and Odisha State Commission for Women, as the officials sensitised villagers on the matter.
