Umang Galada, a 12-year-old from Kolkata, has become West Bengal’s youngest deceased organ donor after passing away on May 21, four days after a kidney transplant at CMRI Hospital.
Despite a year-long battle with chronic kidney disease and a desperate search for a donor, Umang’s parents made the selfless decision to donate his viable organs after he was declared brain dead. His liver was sent to save a critically ill child in Mumbai, and his corneas have restored sight to two individuals.
Officials, doctors, and the wider community have hailed the family’s extraordinary generosity, marking only the sixth cadaveric organ donation in Bengal this year.
A Child’s Journey: Courage, Compassion, and a Lasting Gift
Umang, a Class 8 student at South City International School, was known for his academic brilliance, creativity, and love for artificial intelligence, music, and innovation. Diagnosed with advanced-stage chronic kidney disease a year ago, he endured dialysis three times a week while maintaining his zest for life—coding AI games, acting in short films, and filling his home with laughter.
As his condition worsened and no matching donor was found, his mother, Jyoti, volunteered her kidney despite an incompatible blood group. The transplant on May 15 initially showed promise, but Umang suffered a sudden cardiac arrest the following day, leading to brain death.
From her hospital bed, Jyoti said, “We knew the pain of waiting endlessly for a donor. If our son could not survive, we wanted him to save others”. CMRI’s unit head, Sombrata Roy, praised the family’s “extraordinary act of compassion,” and the hospital honoured Umang with a guard of honour.
From Grief to Hope: The Impact of Organ Donation
After confirming brain death, doctors found only Umang’s liver and corneas suitable for donation due to his medical history. With no suitable liver recipient in Bengal or eastern India, the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) coordinated with the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), allocating the liver to a critically ill child in Mumbai.
His corneas were given to Sankar Nethralaya in Kolkata, restoring sight to two people. Umang’s story stands out in a state where deceased organ donations remain rare—just 14 in 2024—highlighting the urgent need for greater awareness and participation in organ donation.
His father, Ujjwal, described Umang as “a brilliant mind with boundless curiosity,” whose resilience and positivity inspired everyone around him.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Umang Galada’s legacy is a beacon of empathy and hope, showing that even in profound loss, we can choose to give life and light to others. His family’s courage and compassion reflect the values of solidarity, kindness, and coexistence that The Logical Indian upholds.
Their story is a call to action: How can we, as a society, break the silence around organ donation and support more families in making such life-affirming choices?
