JORHAT, July 26 - Rupjyoti Kurmi, the Congress MLA from Mariani, on the occasion of his 42nd birthday on Wednesday, pledged to donate his body to be used for medical education after his death and the eyes to the Jeuti Eye Bank at the Chandraprabha Eye Hospital here, to be transplanted to a blind person.
Kurmi, accompanied by his wife, signed the legal papers at the Jorhat Press Club. The MLA authorised Ekalabya Foundation, a local social voluntary organisation involved in creating awareness on cadaver donation and facilitating the body of a person to a medical institute after that person�s death.
Kurmi said he has been actively involved in social work since childhood along with his mother, late Rupam Kurmi, who later became a Minister, and served the people till her demise. �I thought of donating my body and eyes as that will be a contribution to the society when I am not alive. Birthday is an occasion to celebrate and I thought of celebrating by announcing my decision publicly. Hope my decision will inspire others,� Kurmi said.
He also handed over cheques of Rs 10,000 each to representatives of the Ekalabya Foundation and Jeuti Eye Bank. Kurmi also cut a cake on the occasion.
The legislator said he will soon meet Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to demand an air ambulance from Jorhat, which could be of immense use for the people of the district.
Dr Devabrata Sharma, convenor of Ekalabya Foundation, said the organisation has so far received pledges for body donation from 55 people and three among them have died and their bodies were handed over to the medical college to be used for education. Dr Sharma, who is also the principal of Jorhat College (Amalgamated), and a research scholar in Assamese lexicon, along with his wife Santana Sharma, principal of Jorhat Jatitya Vidyalaya, and his brother Bishnurat Sharma, editor of an Assamese magazine, have also pledged their bodies.
