In a remarkable act of compassion, a Bengaluru-based doctor has donated one of her kidneys to a stranger after obtaining approval from the Karnataka High Court. The case has drawn widespread attention as it involved a living donor voluntarily seeking to donate to a non-relative under existing transplant regulations.
Dr. Thankam S, who works at Manipal Hospital, had registered as an organ donor in 2014. While organ pledges are usually meant for posthumous donation, she later decided to pursue living kidney donation to directly help a patient in need.
In 2023, she expressed her willingness to donate her kidney to a 24-year-old patient with whom she had no familial or personal connection. However, since the recipient was not a relative, the transplant could not proceed immediately due to legal provisions governing unrelated organ donations.
The hospital management initially did not clear the procedure in view of the regulatory requirements. Determined to move forward, Dr. Thankam approached the Karnataka High Court in June 2025, seeking legal approval to donate voluntarily and in compliance with transplant laws.
After hearing the matter, the High Court granted approval in December 2025. The court also directed authorities to provide a list of five eligible recipients within five weeks to ensure transparency and adherence to established norms.
Although the first identified candidate was not medically compatible, doctors later found a suitable match in a 54-year-old patient, who was selected as the final recipient. Official clearance for the transplant was granted on February 2.
The kidney transplant surgery was successfully performed on February 10. Both the donor and the recipient are reported to be stable and recovering well following the procedure.
Dr. Thankam described kidney donation as a long-cherished dream and said she wanted to demonstrate that voluntary organ donation, driven purely by compassion, can profoundly change lives even when there is no personal connection between donor and recipient.
