Padma Shri Awardee Neurosurgeon Dr Ashok Kumar Mahapatra Passes Away at 74

Bhubaneswar: Odisha-born neurosurgeon Prof. (Dr) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, who shot to national prominence for leading the separation surgery of conjoined twins Jaga and Balia, died at AIIMS, New Delhi, on Monday night. He was 74.

The Padma Shri awardee breathed his last at 9.15 pm while undergoing treatment for a brain-related ailment at the premier medical institute. He had been receiving treatment there since October 2.

Mahapatra was first admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar after complaining of a severe headache. Following a deterioration in his condition, he was shifted to AIIMS, New Delhi, accompanied by a specialist medical team for advanced treatment.

One of the defining moments of his career came in 2017, when he led the team of doctors that successfully separated Odisha’s conjoined twins, Jaga and Balia, who were joined at the head. The highly complex procedure at AIIMS, New Delhi, brought him widespread recognition and became a landmark in India’s medical history.

Beyond his achievements in neurosurgery, Mahapatra played a significant role in strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Odisha. As the founding Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, he was instrumental in establishing the institution as a major centre for medical education and treatment in the state.

His contributions to neurosurgery and medical education were recognised with the Padma Shri in 2024.

His demise has left the medical fraternity mourning the loss of a distinguished doctor whose work made a lasting impact on healthcare in Odisha and beyond.