12-year-old Alipore boy’s organ donation gives sight to two, saves life in Mumbai

A 12-year-old boy from Alipore, Kolkata, has posthumously helped save and transform three lives through organ donation. Umang Galada, a student of Class 8 at a reputed English-medium school, had been suffering from kidney disease since childhood. He had been admitted to a private hospital on March 28 after his condition worsened. Doctors recommended an urgent kidney transplant, but due to blood group incompatibility, his mother could not be the donor. A compatible donor was later found, and a transplant was performed on May 15.

Despite the transplant, Umang’s health deteriorated further and he was declared brain-dead on Tuesday. His parents, even in their time of loss, agreed to donate his viable organs. The family contacted the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO East), and after evaluation, his liver and corneas were approved for donation.

His liver was immediately transported to Mumbai and transplanted into a critically ill child. His corneas were used to restore sight to two separate recipients. The logistics of the transfer and transplant were coordinated to ensure timely retrieval and use of the organs.

Umang’s mother said he was a bright student with an interest in Artificial Intelligence. “He was mostly confined to home due to illness, but we kept him engaged so that he stayed mentally strong. I believe those who received his organs will also receive his positive energy,” she said.