Family bonds: Sister donates kidney to brother’s wife; father to son

The entire month, there will be medical checkups for relatives of patients to promote kidney health for all, he added.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Mar 7, 2024 10:01 AM IST

kidney transplants, kidney transplant, organ donations, Organ donors, Indian express news, current affairs

On the left is Sukanya Kulkarni (wearing glasses), the Kidney Receiver. On the right is Shyamala Kulkarni, the Donor

Often family drama series feature how sisters and their brother’s wives don’t get along or then there are comic ones that playfully take a jibe at such relationships.

Now, here’s a real-life story that shows just how strong these bonds can be as a sister selflessly donated her kidney to her brother’s wife. On January 22, Nashik-based Shyamala Kulkarni (66) donated her kidney to her brother Hemant Kulkarni’s wife Sukanya (58), who was suffering from chronic kidney disease. “Dialysis is not a permanent solution and without any hesitation, I decided to donate my kidney to my sister-in-law,” Shyamala told The Indian Express.

If that emotional bond tugs at one’s heart, then a week before that on January 15, Mumbai-based paediatrician Dr Popat Shravan Sathe (61) donated his kidney to his 29-year-old physiotherapist son Tushar.

For Tushar, it is yet a gift of life again as at that young age, he suffered chronic kidney disease due to an unknown etiology. Admitting that he would snack on outside food due to his long work hours it came as a shock when he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

While dialysis helped both patients – Sukanya Kulkarni and Tushar Sathe, doctors advised a transplant. Tushar’s blood group matched with his father’s who told The Indian Express it was ‘his duty both as a medical doctor and father to donate.’

On January 22, Nashik-based Shyamala Kulkarni (66) donated her kidney to her brother Hemant Kulkarni’s wife Sukanya (58), who was suffering from chronic kidney disease.

However, in Sukanya’s case, the blood group did not find a match with her husband, son, and daughter. Sukanya recalled that she would often talk to Shyamala, who voluntarily decided to donate. “We shared the same blood group and my sister-in-law was also inspired by her mother who had decided to donate her eyes and another doctor couple from Nagpur who had donated their kidneys,” Sukanya recalled.

Laparoscopic technique for kidney removal.

What is also unique about these kidney transplants is the use of laparoscopic technique by noted Pune-based laparoscopic surgeon Dr Jyotsna Kulkarni and her team. Performed at UROKUL-Kulkarni Uro Surgery Institute, the doctors used the laparoscopic technique and did not require open surgery.

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Dr Sanjay Kulkarni, director of UROKUL-Kulkarni Uro Surgery Institute and past president of the Urology Society of India, said traditionally the donor, a healthy individual, would have to undergo a major operation where the kidney is removed after a large incision. However, using the laparoscopic technique, tiny incisions are made to remove the kidney and the donor goes back to his/her routine activity in a few days.

UROKUL is a 105-bed facility in Pune for urology and nephrology patients.”This is the sought-after referral centre for patients having urethral obstruction and obstructed flow of urine,” said Dr Kulkarni.

The institute is self-sufficient in caring for kidney and dialysis patients and has a 10-bed dialysis unit with the most advanced machine and treatment protocol. “The surgeries for the donor were done with laparoscopic techniques, due to which the blood loss was very minimal, and the patient recovered faster and without much pain,” said Dr Jyotsna Kulkarni adding that both the donors and recipients are doing well.

According to consultant nephrologist and transplant physician Dr Suhas Mondhe, almost weekly he consulted at least four patients in their 30s who had advanced kidney disease and in most cases, it was of unknown etiology. “For instance, Tushar had seriously high creatinine levels that indicate kidney impairment. However, there was no specific cause. Hence, ahead of World Kidney Day (March 14), we want to step up awareness about the importance of kidneys to our overall health,” said Dr Mondhe.

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The entire month, there will be medical checkups for relatives of patients to promote kidney health for all, he added.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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