Former MLA's body donated to hospital

KENDRAPADA: Noted doctor and former MLA of Badachana Dr Jagannath Das died on Saturday in his village Chatia in Jajpur district . He was 101. According to his last will, his body was donated to the SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack on Saturday by his sons and daughters for scientific research.
The oldest living doctor of the state had pledged to donate his body for medical research in his last will.
He passed MBBS from the Prince of Wales medical college in Patna in 1941 and worked as medical officer from 1942 to 1945 in Ravenshaw college in Cuttack. Later, he started his private clinic in Chatia. For more than 66 years, Dr Das had been treating patients in his clinic. In 1946 ,he was offered a job in the government hospital. But he refused to work under the government. In 1955, he joined in Bhudan movement and donated his ten acres of land to the poor.
In 1953, he contested as an independent candidate in Badachana assembly seat against the chief minister Nabakrushna Chaudhury, but was defeated. In 1967, he won from Badachana assembly seat as a candidate for Praja Socialist Party (PSP). Jayashree Bijaya Laxmi Mohanty, the daughter of Dr Jagannath Das said, "My father was the oldest doctor of the state."
Jajpur MP Mohan Jena, former minister Bhagabat Prasad Mohanty, Badachana MLA Amar Satapathy, Purosptam Nayak the president of state freedom fighters; association and others paid floral tributes to the veteran socialist leader and doctor. Large numbers of people bid farewell to his body as it was carried in a procession to the SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack.
The noted doctor's gesture in donating his body for medical research has been appreciated by many. Many who paid their last respect to Dr Das on Saturday promised to emulate him by donating their bodies. "This is the first time in Orissa, a senior doctor donated his body for medical research," said Dr G.B. Das of Kendrapada.