‘He Was More Than God To Us:’ Jaga’s Family Mourns Dr Ashok Mahapatra
Renowned neurosurgeon gave conjoined twins Jaga and Balia a new lease of life through landmark separation surgery in 2017
Bhubaneswar: For Bhuyan Kanhar, the father of conjoined twins Jaga and Balia, the death of renowned neurosurgeon and Padma Shri awardee Dr Ashok Mahapatra is not merely the loss of a distinguished doctor. It is the loss of a man to whom his family owes a lifetime of gratitude.
As news of Dr Mahapatra’s demise reached the family, memories of the 2017 surgery that changed the lives of his twin sons came flooding back. Overcome with emotion, Bhuyan broke down while recalling the doctor who, he said, had given his children a chance to live separate lives.
“He was more than God to us. He performed the surgery on my twin sons and gave them a new lease of life. The news of his demise has shattered us. It is an irreparable loss for our family,” Bhuyan said, struggling to hold back his tears.
For the family, Dr Mahapatra's association did not end with the successful surgery. Bhuyan recalled how the neurosurgeon continued to enquire about the children's health and well-being, keeping a close watch on their progress even after they returned to normal life.
“He was not just a doctor to us. He was someone who always cared for our children. He would regularly ask about their health. We have lost someone very close to our family,” he said.
The grief was equally palpable in Jaga’s words. The young survivor, who owes his life to the complex surgical intervention, struggled to come to terms with the death of the doctor who had helped give him a future.
“The person who saved my life is no more. I am sad. It is very painful for me,” Jaga said.
In 2017, Dr Mahapatra led a team of specialists at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, in performing the highly complex separation surgery on Jaga and Balia, who were born conjoined. The challenging procedure marked a turning point in the lives of the twins and their family, giving the brothers an opportunity to grow up as separate individuals.
For the Kanhar family, the successful operation was far more than a medical milestone. It was the beginning of a new chapter, made possible by the skill, dedication and compassion of a doctor whose memory, they say, will remain inseparable from their lives.