Feb. 17: The Ellora Vigyan Mancha, an NGO, today handed over the body of John Davis, who had pledged his organs to medical research, to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in the presence of his family and friends.

The teachers and students appreciated the gesture of Davis and his desire to serve humanity even after death.

GMCH principal Dr M.M. Deka hoped that Davis? gesture would break the social taboo associated with organ donation and encourage people to donate their bodies for medical research.

Davis, a businessman, was a resident of Col J. Ali Road in Lakhtokia. He passed away at a private nursing home on February 15 of respiratory failure. He was 67 and left behind his wife and two sons.

Davis pledged his eyes to the Sankardev Netralaya and his body to the GMCH for medical research through a registered will signed in the presence of the senior sub-registrar of Kamrup at a function organised by the Mancha on January 16.

He is the third person after Purna Kanta Saikia and Ellora Roy Choudhury to have donated his body to the GMCH for medical research.

The Ellora Vigyan Mancha was formed in May 2004 in the memory of Ellora Roy Choudhury.

The objective of the Mancha is to create scientific temper among the people and to fight against superstition.

The Mancha also launched a campaign to encourage people to donate blood and eye and organs after death for transplantation or medical research. Convener of the Mancha, Joydev Sarma, said Davis? eyes were donated to the Sankardev Netralya immediately after his death.

?On the behalf of the Mancha, I would like to thank the family members of Davis for extending full co-operation in executing his last will,? Sarma said.

Principal Deka said the medical college required 40 bodies every year, but could manage only around two.

?The availability of unclaimed bodies is far short of the requirement in the medical colleges creating problems for students,? he said.

?Unfortunately, the concept of donating one?s body after death is yet to catch on in our country. A few noble persons have in the past donated their bodies to medical colleges. But their example is not being emulated by many. Davis has showed the way and there is no doubt that more and more people will realise what a great service they are rendering to society,? Deka said.

The GMCH has the wills of 26 people who had pledged their bodies on death.