Abhilasha Rahurikar, a 16 months and two weeks old baby girl, came to Apollo Hospital with a hope of a new life, but instead given a new life to many others.

The little girl from Bhopal was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a rare condition in newborns in which the common bile duct between the liver and small intestine is blocked or absent, soon after birth.

Abhilasha underwent a complicated surgery in Bangalore to correct her problem when she was just 3-months old.

The doctors then referred her to the Apollo Hospital to undergo a liver transplant.

Dr. Anupam Sibal, group medical director, Apollo hospitals, said, “Abhilasha and her parents came to us from Bhopal for a liver transplant but a CT scan of her brain revealed that she was suffering with Hydrocephalus -- meaning that the fluid was rising in her brain. We couldn't perform the transplant.”

Dr. Anupam also said that before a liver transplant, her neurological condition had to be resolved before. But sorrowfully, , she couldn’t undergo a transplant because of her deteriorating neurological condition and her worsening liver function.

On Feb 28, when doctors declared that Abhilasha’s brain was not working, her parents decided to donate her organs.

The baby died in February and her eyes and kidneys have been transplanted. She became the country's youngest cadaver organ donor.

Admitting it was really a difficulty decision to make, her mother Vineeta Rahurikar, said, “We know the importance of organ donation, as our child needed one. When doctors told us that she will not recover, we decided to donate her organs. Today I feel proud that my daughter's contribution has helped other live.”

Mr. Rajendra Rahurikar, Abhilasha's father, state that her daughter had managed to achieve a "big" deal in her "small life".

Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Apollo Group chairman, praised the decision taken by Abhilasha's parents.

He said, “They have taken a very courageous step. In this country, we need to see more such acts of courage. There is an acute shortage of donors and awareness is lax.”

There has been little progress in the country's cadaver programme ever since the Human Organ Transplant Act was introduced in 1994 in India.

Moreover, the hospital had arranged for condolence ceremony on Monday, "saluting the spirit of Abhilasha and her parents".