Leelavathi, who donated kidney to MGR, is no more

MGC Leelavathi, the niece of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, who donated one of her kidneys to him in 1984, died in Chennai on Thursday.

She was the daughter of MGR’s elder brother M.G. Chakrapani. She was 72 and is survived by two daughters. One of her brothers was MGC Sukumar, who acted in a few films.

“She was not well and was admitted to hospital. She recovered well and returned home. But died on Thursday night,” said MGC Rajendran, her brother.

When MGR, following renal failure, was battling for life in Brooklyn hospital, USA, Leelavathi and Mr Rajendran offered to donate their kidney. Finally, she was chosen to be the donor as her kidney suited best.

Leelavathi with her uncle MGR.

Leelavathi was living in Chelakkara in Kerala as her husband Ravindranathan was a practising doctor there. When MGR became seriously ill and was shifted to the US for treatment, she rushed to Chennai and agreed to donate one of her kidneys.

Thereafter she settled in Chennai in 1989.

“She and her family extended support to BJP when my son MCR Praveen joined the party. We also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” recalled Mr Rajendran. It happened in 2017 when MGR’s birth centenary was celebrated.