File:Indian Navy Sub Lieutenant Atul Kumar Pawar military funeral (2).jpg

English: Sub Lieutenant Atul Kumar Pawar, an under trainee officer of INS Dronacharya, who was declared clinically dead on 28 September 2017 at Aster Medicity hospital joins the list of an increasing number of souls who continue to live on by donating their organs to the critically ill. The deceased officers’ heart, liver and two kidneys have been were harvested for organ transplant to recipients at Government Medical College, Kottayam, Aster Medicity, Ernakulam, Air Force Command Hospital, Bengaluru and Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ernakulam respectively. The officer was critically injured in a road accident near Chalakudy in Thrissur district at 11:00 pm on 24 September 2017 and was admitted in Aster Medicity Hospital. Despite intensive treatment by a team of doctors, the officer could not be revived and was declared, clinically dead owing to internal head injuries.

Wreaths were laid by Vice Admiral AR Karve, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command along with other officers at a solemn ceremony at INS Dronacharya, and the mortal remains of the officer were transported to his native place for the last rites.

The officer’s relatives, including his father, who arrived at Kochi on 25 September 2017, displaying exceptional moral courage, social responsibility and empathy willingly consented to donate of vital organs of the officer and in doing so, turned their grief into a noble gift of life for the needy. In deference to the wish of the parents of the deceased officer to see a part of their son continuing to stay alive in the Armed Forces community, one of the donor kidney was transferred to the naval base, Kochi from Aster Medicity hospital with the active participation of Naval and civil Police who ensured a green corridor along the entire route from where it was sent to Bengaluru through an Indian Air Force aircraft for transplantation to a recipient in the Command Hospital Air Force, Bengaluru.