Kerala to bid farewell with state honours to 10-month-old Alin, state’s youngest organ donor
Alin Sherin Abraham, who suffered serious injuries in a road accident while travelling with her family in Kottayam on February 5, was declared brain dead on Friday.
Alin Sherin Abraham, who suffered serious injuries in a road accident while travelling with her family in Kottayam on February 5, was declared brain dead on Friday. Her parents, Arun Abraham and Sherin Ann John, natives of Mallappally in Pathanamthitta district, decided to immortalise their daughter by donating her organs — her heart valve, liver, two kidneys and cornea.
Doctors at a private hospital in Kochi harvested the organs and rushed the heart valve, liver and kidneys to Thiruvananthapuram by road on Friday night. Her liver was transplanted into a six-month-old and both kidneys into a 10-year-old. The heart valve was handed over to Sri Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences in Thiruvananthapuram, while the cornea was kept at the eye bank at Amrita Hospital, Kochi.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who decided to accord state honours, described the parents’ decision as “noble and inspiring”.
“Alin’s parents have created a paradigm for society in the field of organ donation in Kerala. People of Kerala join her family in their grief. Heartfelt condolences and tribute to Alin. She will be given an official farewell with honors by our state,’’ Vijayan said in a Facebook post.
Following the Chief Minister’s direction, the General Administration Department on Saturday asked the Pathanamthitta district collector to arrange for a wreath to be placed on the girl’s mortal remains on behalf of the Chief Minister and the state government. The district police chief was instructed to accord police honours when her body is laid to rest at St Thomas CSI Church, Nedungadappally, Sunday.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
