Family by his side, Lalu Prasad undergoes successful kidney transplant surgery in Singapore
The RJD leader’s daughter Rohini Acharya, who lives in Singapore, donated a kidney. Lalu’s wife Rabri, son and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi, and daughter Misa are also there to support him.
RJD leader Lalu Prasad with his daughter Rohini Acharya. (Photo: Rohini Acharya/ Twitter)
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A strong family bond was on display in the days leading up to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad’s kidney transplant surgery, which he successfully underwent in Singapore on Monday. His daughter Rohini Acharya was his donor. The former Bihar chief minister’s family, including his son and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, were with Lalu through the process while others are said to have been in constant communication.
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Lalu, 74, had been suffering from acute renal complications for some time and was advised a kidney transplant. Acharya stepped in to be his donor and it was also reportedly on her recommendation that the family zeroed in on Singapore for the surgery. Acharya moved to Singapore after her wedding to Rao Samresh Singh, who is an engineer. She has two sons and a daughter.
Just before going to surgery, Acharya tweeted, “Ready to rock and roll (victory sign). Wish me good luck.” She added that “she did not wish for anything more than good health for her father”.
Lalu Prasad’s wife Rabri Devi, who is a former Bihar CM herself, his eldest daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti, and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, his youngest son, were in Singapore through the period. Tej Pratap Yadav, Lalu’s eldest son and state minister, stayed back in Patna and performed a Mahamrityunjaya jaap (recital) for his father’s health.
For the past couple of days, Tejashwi had been tweeting updates on his father’s surgery. “My father has been shifted to the hospital ICU from the operation theatre after his successful kidney transplant. Both the donor, my elder sister and the (RJD) national president are fine. We thank you all for your prayers for my father’s wellbeing,” he tweeted after the surgery.
Bharti too has been sharing information on Twitter related to the RJD leader’s health. “It is very comforting news for us that my father has gotten a nod to be shifted to the ICU. Papa acknowledged our good wishes by waving his hand,” she said after he was shifted to the ICU post-surgery.
Posting an emotional message, Tej Pratap said, “May God keep you away from ills and may you keep smiling. Please come back home soon after recovering. Miss you.”
An RJD functionary toldThe Indian Express that Lalu’s other daughters – Chanda, Ragini, Hema, Anushka and Raj Lakshmi – had been in touch with their father through regular video calls. “As there were attendants in Singapore already, other members of the family were advised against going,” said the RJD leader, who is close to Lalu.
Rohini’s decision to donate a kidney to her father was applauded by party leaders. “May our national president live long and may every parent be blessed with a daughter like Rohini,” RJD president Jagadanand Singh said at the party headquarters in Patna after the surgery.
