Former textile mill worker’s body donated to Coimbatore Medical College

The 81-year-old, who had been an AITUC leader at the mill he worked at for over 25 years, had always expressed a wish for his body to be donated after his death, his son said

Family members of M. Ramakrishnan, a former textile mill worker, donated his body to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital on Friday.

Jeevabharathi, his son, told The Hindu on Saturday that 81-year-old Ramakrishnan, who died on Friday morning due to age-related ailments, had worked at Balasubramania Mills for over 25 years and had been an All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) leader at the mill. He had also been part of the AITUC State council. “It was his wish that his body be donated to CMCH. He had spoken about it to everyone in the family and all those who visited him too. He did not want any rituals to be performed after his death and had said that the body should be donated. So we fulfilled his wish,” said Mr. Jeevabharathi.

Ramakrishnan had worked hard to get basic facilities such as water, streetlights, drainage and bus services to Masakalipalayam when it was made part of the Coimbatore Corporation. He was also part of the trade union team that signed an agreement with the Southern India Mills’ Association in the 1980s, and the agreement later became a reference book for textile mill workers’ productivity, etc., Mr. Jeevabharathi added.