Saturday, July 14, 2012

Survey Results: Preferences about disposal of body after death

Dear Friends:

I thank you all for answering a simple questionnaire on your preferences about disposal of body after death. Results based on 77 respondents are given below. The Questionnaire was kept open online for ten days. Many have given remarks. Remarks throw more light on the interpretation of results. Read them at:




Buried in a cemetary 5 6%
Cremated - Traditional Firewood 17 22%
Cremated - Electrical 24 31%
Left for Vultures as food 0 0%
Thrown into sea / river for fishes 0 0%
Donated to medical institution 30 39%
Mummified and preserved 1 1%

I should admit and apologize that there was some lack of clarity in the questions. While nearly 40% want the body to be donated to medical institution it is not clear whether a) they would prefer entire body to be given as donation so that it may be used by medical students for study / research OR b) they would like to donate any useful parts immediately after death for organ harvesting 9subsequent transplantation) and there after the remnants of the remaining body be buried or cremated etc.

During the last survey only 16 persons participated. Results showed a predominant preference for pollution free electrical cremation. This time people have shifted to "Donation of body to medical Institution". This is a very progressive, encouraging  trend depicting enlightened attitude of senior citizens.

There is a company called COMFED in Delhi. They are shooting a video on   Pollution free body disposal (electrical / CNG / Solar / combination etc) methods. They requested us that some senior citizens from sss-global be made available for brief discussion and shoot in coming days.They approached us after reading results of our earlier survey on the same topic. Hence this exercise. Thanks one and all for your co-operation.


Dr P Vyasamoorthy, 30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph 040-27846631 / 9490804278.


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