Kidney swap brings together Hindu, Muslim couples

Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 29

A Hindu couple from Bihar and a Muslim couple from Kashmir helped save each other’s lives by swapping kidneys. 

Divided by miles, the two families got in touch with each other through internet. 

The 46-year-old Sujeet Kumar’s kidney was found to be a good match for 53-year-old Abdul Aziz. Aziz’s 50-year-old wife Shazia meanwhile proved the right match for Sujeet Kumar’s 42-year-old wife Manjula Devi. Both families underwent surgeries for a paired kidney exchange at a private hospital in Mohali in December.

The transplant cost Rs 6 lakh each.

The families found each other on iKidney, a mobile application for kidney transplants. 

 “I was registered on a kidney transplant app, based on which I was contacted by the hospital. They told us that there were matches for our kidneys. We came to the hospital and met the family and got the transplant done,” said Sujeet, a retired sergeant from Indian Air Force, who is currently working at the Indian Overseas Bank. 

“Earlier, I felt hungry all the time, had high blood pressure and felt unusually cold. After the transplant, I have a got a new life,” his wife Manjula said. 

The Patna-based couple has a 19-year-old daughter.

Abdul also said he got in touch with the family online while looking for a kidney match. 

The couples said their religious differences with their kidney matches were never an issue. 

“Life is first and religion comes after that,” Manjula said.

“The religion does not matter. Whether it’s Hindu or Muslim, their kidneys are same,” Sujeet said.

“There’s no such thing as Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir. Hindus join Muslims in their happiness and vice-versa. Man is man,” Abdul, a Baramulla native, added.

The kidney transplants have brought the two families together. 

“We now often talk to each other over phone to know about well being,” said Abdul. “They have invited me to Kashmir and we have invited them to Patna. We would like to visit them some day,” Sujeet said. 

Dr Priyadarshi Ranjan, who performed the transplant, said: "This is the first such case at our hospital. It has sent the message of unity in diversity".