Gujarat woman ties rakhi to man with her brother’s heart

SURAT: This Rakshabandhan, 25-year-old Nidhi Patel travelled to Asarma village near Hansot in Bharuch district to tie a rakhi on the wrist of Raviraj Mahida (25), the man who received the heart of her late brother, Shaishav Patel, three years ago.

For Nidhi, a resident of Hajat village in Ankleshwar, the annual ritual has become a cherished tradition. The two families have grown close since the organ donation, forging a bond that extends beyond the life-saving transplant.

“I call Ravi’s parents. They consider me their daughter. It brings me some solace, that my brother is still alive in a way, while tying a rakhi to Ravi,” Nidhi told TOI.Shaishav, a mechanical engineer who worked at a factory in Bharuch while also helping his family with farming, suffered a fatal accident in March 2023. He was initially taken to a hospital in Ankleshwar and later shifted to Surat for advanced treatment, where doctors declared him brain dead.

Nidhi, who holds a master’s degree in rural studies, recalled the difficult decision that followed.

“We were in shock initially but later, through Donate Life, realized that many people could get a new lease of life through the organs of my brother. That gave me courage and I convinced my parents,” she said.