Indian doctor prepares to dissect his father's body

A doctor in India is steadying his nerves to dissect his father's embalmed body to help anatomy students' research at a medical college. The operation in the southern state of Karnataka is said to be the first such case in India. Dr Mahantesh Ramannavar said that the task was challenging but he had no choice.

His father, who fought against British colonial rule, was a renowned ayurvedic (traditional medicine) doctor. He died two years ago, aged 89, and stipulated in his will that his corpse should be cut open by his doctor son for medical research.



Dr Mahantesh, 40, will fulfil his father's wishes at the Kankanwadi Ayurved medical college in Belgaum, 550km (342 miles) north of Bangalore, on the second anniversary of his death on 13 November. He said that he was inspired by the English physician William Harvey, famed for his research into the human circulatory system. Mr Harvey is credited with dissecting the body of his sister in his pursuit of better medical science.

"I hope my gesture will help others to donate bodies. This is a message I want to convey to the world," Dr Mahantesh said. His said that his decision had not upset his mother and family members. "There is no opposition from my family. They are supporting me. This is because this is what he willed," he said.