Nepal

Satya Mohan Joshi, revered historian and culture expert who passed away on Sunday morning will not be cremated. Joshi’s body will be kept in KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital to help students in their medical studies.

He donated his body on August 13, 2020 to the hospital.

“Joshi had donated his body to help medical students in their practical education,” the hospital said in a statement, hours after his death.

His body was kept at Lalitpur Metropolitan City until 4 pm for final tributes. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and other prominent people paid their final respects to the 'man of the century' on the city office’s premises.

The body will be returned to the hospital after the final rites are performed at the Lalitpur metropolis office, according to a hospital source.

Before sending Joshi’s body to the metropolis, the doctors had embalmed the body using chemicals to preserve it from decaying.

“We have kept chemicals in his body so that it can be preserved,” said Dr Suraj Bajracharya, director at KIST Hospital.

Formaldehyde, a kind of chemical, is used to preserve the body from decomposition.  
Dr Kishore Singh Basnet, professor of anatomy at KIST, said: “Formaldehyde based chemicals were injected into the body to help prevent decomposition. It also helps in preventing cells from further damage and bacterial infection.”

“Our medical students will use his mortal remains for educational purposes. They will be used for practical classes,” Dr Basnet said.