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LOKESH
– AFTERMATH OF DEATH
His
Body Dissection In The Year 2008
Special
Report by - CNB
Photos - K.M. VEERESH
Date - 16th October 2004
 This
is a Chitraloka mega portal special story
What
happens after donating the body of veteran 57 years actor
Lokesh to M.S.Ramaiah Medical College? Chitraloka attempted
to know this out of curiosity that turned out to be a
socially relevant public story too.
Chitraloka
approached the department of Anatomy at M.S.Ramaiah Medical
College and stayed for two hours at the hospital to get
more knowledgeable information. The body of Lokesh was
kept in mortuary. For getting more information the main
force behind this was the death of Lokesh.
 The
Professor of Anatomy Mr R.N. Kulkarni hailing from Gulbarga
is in the Anatomy department since 23 years and Dr. Kiran
took us around where the body of Lokesh and all donated
would be placed. The doctors are of the opinion that many
celebrities have given written agreement while living
and M.S. Ramaiah Medical college has 40 dead bodies in
its stock for the dissection purpose.
Excerpts
of an interview with Prof.R.N.Kulkarni:
What’s
the further activity in the case of well known personality
body like actor cum director Lokesh?
 We
do not attach special importance as such. We appreciate
the family for donating the body. For the medical students
dissection purpose the body of Lokesh would be kept for
four years and it might come up for dissection by 2008.
His body is the 41st in our stock at the Anatomy department.
What
is your code of conduct?
All
are equal here. We do not attach special important to
any celebrities. The main objective is that the students
of medicine would know what is what from such bodies.
For the expertise it would be useful. Like how you can
search the jewel box in the cup board closing your eyes
like that the students should know all parts of the body.
This is possible only when human bodies are donated for
dissection to Medical colleges.
In
the four long years do you allow the kiths and kins to
look at the body often?
 Not
often. Showing the body again and again is an insult to
the departed soul we feel. As a matter of fact we take
an undertaking and issue a certificate to the family for
donating the body. Once the body is donated they would
have to keep quiet. We can show once after it is kept
in the water tank. There are cases of returning the body
when it is identified. Normally we get the body of unidentified
persons through police department help. My colleague Dr.
Kiran has established very good contact in procuring the
bodies to the college in his 20 plus years of service.
Do
you inject medicine to the body to keep it intact for
so many years?
 After
the body is donated it would be completely shaved. Then
through the artery near the neck we inject medicine made
out of five liters each of formalin and water, 1 liter
of glycerin and one liter of salt. After injecting medicine
the body will be dumped in water tank. We have 40 such
bodies in the water tanks as of now at M.S.Ramaih Medical
College. For the preparation of medicine and process to
keep the body intact for years we incur Rs.2000. The medicine
is injected only once. The body becomes stiff and it will
not decompose. A slight 0.5 percent of discolor of the
skin we could be noticed.
How
many bodies you require for your college?
We
require 12 bodies for medical students and two others
for PG and BDS students.
With
the Indian sentiments on the one side you get enough bodies?
We
are not out of stock. We have enough as of now to meet
the demand for the coming four years. In 1996 and 1997
we had more than 75 bodies. In case of short we exchange
bodies between colleges.
When
you get the bodies like how you got that of actor Lokesh
is it possible to pick the important parts for transplantation?
For
taking the eyes from the dead it has to be done within
three hours for 100 percent usage of it. In the case of
other parts after death before a few hours some important
parts of the body could be taken for the benefit of others.
According to the latest advancement in medicine even the
skin could be taken away from dead bodies. It is now done
in places like Pune and Mumbai. The bodies donated are
beneficial for those who are living, for students of medical
college and for research purposes.
There
is a myth that human organs are diverted….
That’s
a wrong notion.
In
case any one asks for return of the bodies…..
We
would give back. There are 3 such cases in M.S.Ramaih
Medical College.
Do
you keep a list of celebrity bodies coming to the college?
We
keep a list and also keep on changing the numbering system
yearly. We have with us retired justice D.M. Chandrasekhar
body. I had met him before the death in one of the functions
and he voluntarily gave a letter to us to take his body
after death. The late justice Chandrasekhar made inquiries
in three correspondences on this donation.
This
awareness of donation is not growing…..
Yes.
The senior citizens Forum in Gandhi Bhavan in Malleswaram
once invited me for a meeting on this donation. The discussion
was very good. After that 10 to 12 persons volunteered.
No one is coming here to earn extra status by doing so.
A 78 year old Srinivasan who is unable to come inside
the hospital due to ailment came in an auto the other
day. He signed the letter of donation. An illiterate 80
years old woman signed the papers of donation. There are
60 volunteers list with us.
After
the dissection by the students of Medical College how
do you dispose it off?
After
each and every part of body is dissected it would be dumped
in one place and burnt in a far of place. Now it is happening
at a far off place at Nelamangala.
In
case the sentiment relatives ask for certain bones do
you give?
Oh!
That’s difficult. No such case has come up.
Want
to donate your body contact
Dr.
R.N. Kulkarni
Sr.
Prof. and HOD of Anatomy, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College,
Bangalore
– 54. Ph – 080-23327302 extn – 408
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