Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde came to the aid of a woman in urgent need of a kidney transplant on Friday night, offering her a seat on his chartered flight after she missed her commercial one from Jalgaon to Mumbai.
The patient, Sheetal Borde, had been called to a Mumbai hospital for a life-saving transplant surgery and needed to reach before midnight. However, by the time she arrived at the Jalgaon airport, her flight had already departed. Facing the possibility of missing the critical window for surgery, she sought help from the Chief Minister’s Medical Assistance Cell.
"A woman, Sheetal Borde, was urgently called to Mumbai for a kidney transplant and needed to reach before midnight. After she missed her flight, she sought assistance from the Chief Minister Medical Assistance Cell to travel to Mumbai. The deputy chief minister, Eknath Shinde, who was travelling to Mumbai, facilitated her transportation in his chartered flight," said Ayush Prasad, the collector of Jalgaon.
"There were multiple options being discussed. The Deputy Chief Minister was ready to stay overnight in Jalgaon and travel by the flight in the early morning, or if there was urgency, a pilot from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar would have been arranged for," Prasad said.
A doctor was called to assess the pilot, and there was uncertainty over whether the flight would proceed. Alternate plans—including arranging a replacement pilot or staying overnight—were being considered.
At the same time, Sheetal Borde, who had just received the hospital’s call for the transplant, arrived at the airport only to find that her commercial flight had left.
In desperation, she reached out to local activists, who in turn alerted state minister Girish Mahajan. Upon learning about her situation, Mahajan immediately approached Deputy CM Shinde, who agreed without hesitation to take her and her husband on his flight to Mumbai.
"WRD minister Girish Mahajan, who was with the Deputy Chief Minister, got the information. After discussions, both decided to take the help of civil aviation and allow the pilots to fly the plane after the mandatory procedure, including the medical check-up, a prerequisite. So they spoke to the senior officials and got the permission," said the collector.
Officials fast-tracked the necessary aviation clearances, including a medical check for the pilot, with help from civil aviation authorities. The flight eventually took off around 9:50 p.m. from Jalgaon, which has a night landing facility.
Although the transplant was later called off due to a kidney mismatch, officials emphasized that the timely intervention kept her eligible for future transplants and demonstrated the impact of compassionate governance.
Prasad and guardian minister Gulabrao Patil praised Shinde’s action. “This was more than a political gesture—it was a human one,” said Patil. “Shinde saheb showed that leadership is about standing by people when it matters most.”
(With TOI inputs)
The patient, Sheetal Borde, had been called to a Mumbai hospital for a life-saving transplant surgery and needed to reach before midnight. However, by the time she arrived at the Jalgaon airport, her flight had already departed. Facing the possibility of missing the critical window for surgery, she sought help from the Chief Minister’s Medical Assistance Cell.
"A woman, Sheetal Borde, was urgently called to Mumbai for a kidney transplant and needed to reach before midnight. After she missed her flight, she sought assistance from the Chief Minister Medical Assistance Cell to travel to Mumbai. The deputy chief minister, Eknath Shinde, who was travelling to Mumbai, facilitated her transportation in his chartered flight," said Ayush Prasad, the collector of Jalgaon.
Delayed flight turns into lifeline
Shinde had been in Muktainagar earlier in the day to attend the Sant Muktabai Palkhi departure ceremony, a significant part of the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage. His return to Mumbai was delayed at the Jalgaon airport after the pilot of his chartered flight fell ill."There were multiple options being discussed. The Deputy Chief Minister was ready to stay overnight in Jalgaon and travel by the flight in the early morning, or if there was urgency, a pilot from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar would have been arranged for," Prasad said.
A doctor was called to assess the pilot, and there was uncertainty over whether the flight would proceed. Alternate plans—including arranging a replacement pilot or staying overnight—were being considered.
At the same time, Sheetal Borde, who had just received the hospital’s call for the transplant, arrived at the airport only to find that her commercial flight had left.
In desperation, she reached out to local activists, who in turn alerted state minister Girish Mahajan. Upon learning about her situation, Mahajan immediately approached Deputy CM Shinde, who agreed without hesitation to take her and her husband on his flight to Mumbai.
"WRD minister Girish Mahajan, who was with the Deputy Chief Minister, got the information. After discussions, both decided to take the help of civil aviation and allow the pilots to fly the plane after the mandatory procedure, including the medical check-up, a prerequisite. So they spoke to the senior officials and got the permission," said the collector.
Officials fast-tracked the necessary aviation clearances, including a medical check for the pilot, with help from civil aviation authorities. The flight eventually took off around 9:50 p.m. from Jalgaon, which has a night landing facility.
Empathy in action
During the flight, Shinde personally interacted with Borde, asking about her treatment and assuring her of support. Upon landing in Mumbai, he arranged for a special ambulance to transport her to the hospital and ensured her swift admission.Although the transplant was later called off due to a kidney mismatch, officials emphasized that the timely intervention kept her eligible for future transplants and demonstrated the impact of compassionate governance.
Prasad and guardian minister Gulabrao Patil praised Shinde’s action. “This was more than a political gesture—it was a human one,” said Patil. “Shinde saheb showed that leadership is about standing by people when it matters most.”
(With TOI inputs)
