New Delhi/Puri: The medical community is mourning the loss of Dr. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, world-renowned neurosurgeon, academic and former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar. The doctor passed away on 2 November 2026, at AIIMS New Delhi. He had been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.
Dr. Mahapatra is best-known for leading the team which separated the conjoined twins of Odisha: Jaga and Balia. However, he has spent over Four Decades in the medical industry. This included working on complex neurosurgery, research, medical education and leadership roles within some of India's most prestigious medical institutes.
Throughout his career, he contributed greatly to the Indian medical industry. Having worked at AIIMS Delhi, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), AIIMS Bhubaneswar and Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University, he helped develop clinical services, academic courses and research.
Dr. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra was born on 29 December, 1952, in Biranarasinghpur village, Puri District, Odisha.
He completed his early education locally and then went on to complete his intermediate science degree from SCS College, Puri. He then joined Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. He graduated with his MBBS in 1975.
However, having developed an interest in the complexities of the human nervous system, he decided to focus on neurosurgery. He enrolled onto the AIIMS, New Delhi course and gained his MS/MCh qualification.
He completed his MS in 1979 and MCh in Neurosurgery in 1982 at AIIMS New Delhi, subsequently earning his DNB in 1983.
This provided him with a strong educational background in clinical, research and medical education.
After joining the AIIMS New Delhi Department of Neurosurgery in 1983, Dr. Mahapatra began taking on greater responsibility. Throughout his career he became an influential figure within the neurosurgery department.
He became a Professor in 1996 and Senior Professor in 2004. His roles included leading the Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosciences Centre and serving as Dean of Research.
Within AIIMS, he took on many roles. As well as carrying out complex procedures, he was involved in training junior doctors, conducting research and furthering neurosurgery within the institute.
Throughout his career, he became an expert in various areas of neurosurgery, including pediatric neurosurgery. He contributed to this area by working on congenital spinal abnormalities, encephalocele and craniosynostosis.
His contributions also extended to neurotrauma, skull base surgery and peripheral nerve surgery. The official Padma Shri citation recognizes his work in pediatric neurosurgery between 1989 and 2012, neurotrauma between 1991 and 2020, and skull base surgery in India between 1998 and 2020.
As well as carrying out various clinical and academic roles, he became involved in some leadership positions. This meant he had to take on the difficult task of balancing clinical, building, staffing, academic and expansion roles.
From 2006 to 2009, he became the Director of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow.
This role meant he was responsible for running the prestigious postgraduate medical institute. During his time here, the institute continued to expand its infrastructure and academic offering.
A major accomplishment he had was becoming Founding Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar in 2012.
As this was a brand new AIIMS, he was heavily involved in setting up numerous clinical departments, courses, staff and providing patient care.
Dr. Mahapatra was heavily involved in setting up the institute. He provided improvements within medical education and clinical care. This gave patients better access to specialist treatments. He was appointed as Director in 2016.
During his four-year tenure, he helped establish several academic programs, including MBBS, BSc Nursing (Hons), postgraduate, DM and MCh courses. He also introduced the BSc (Hons) Medical Technology program at AIIMS Bhubaneswar in 2015. His work on medical technology education extended beyond the institute, noting his efforts to secure approval for medical technology colleges across six newly established AIIMS institutions.
After leaving AIIMS Bhubaneswar, he continued to provide contributions to medical education.
From 2020 to 2022, he served as the Vice-Chancellor of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, Bhubaneswar. He continued working with the university as Principal Advisor for Health Sciences.
Dr. Mahapatra is well known for successfully separating conjoined twins Jaga & Balia. They were born with a rare condition called craniopagus.
This means that the twins were born joined together with their skulls fused. They may also be born with their vital blood vessels fused and sometimes their brain tissue. This made it very challenging to separate the twins safely ensuring they had sufficient blood supply and brain function.
The twins had fused cranial and venous blood supply so the surgery was extremely complex. The surgery was split into two parts and took place at AIIMS New Delhi.
The first part of the surgery was performed on 28 August 2017. This involved separating the fused skulls and placing a vein shunt inside. The second part was performed on 25 October, 2017.
This was a massive team effort with multiple specialists working together including Neurosurgeons, Anesthetists and Plastic Surgeons. The surgical team was led by Dr. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra and Dr. Deepak Kumar Gupta. It involved 125 doctors and paramedical staff. The team also sought guidance from pediatric neurosurgeon Professor James T. Goodrich of New York.
The surgery marked an amazing achievement within Pediatric Neurosurgery. It was a big media event and is recorded in Limca Book of Records as the first successful separation of craniopagus twins in India. The surgery featured in the 2020 edition of the Limca Book of Records. It went down in history as a massive milestone for Dr. Mahapatra and the start of a new chapter for the twins and their family.
The twins' journey following the separation was not without complications. Balia died on 25 November 2020, at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. Jaga survived and was discharged from the hospital on 23 March 2021.
In April 2026, Odisha Television Limited (OTV) reported that Jaga was living a near-normal life, could speak, study and play with other children, and was under medical observation at the District Headquarters Hospital in Phulbani. However, he was still awaiting a second surgery involving a skull implant to address the defect and allow him to stop wearing his protective helmet.
As well as his clinical and hospital roles, Dr. Mahapatra was also a keen academic. He contributed to publishing scientific papers, research, writing textbooks and mentoring junior medical professionals.
According to his official Padma Shri page, he has written 16 books. He has also contributed to over 140 chapters within medical textbooks. He has also contributed to around 870 scientific papers in both national and international journals. He was also involved in over 20 research projects and mentored 12 PhD students.
The official Padma Shri citation further recorded more than 26,800 citations for his research publications, an H-index of 64 and an i10-index of 569. It also listed him among the world's top 2% of scientists between 2019 and 2023. These figures reflect the academic impact attributed to his research in the official award citation.
Beyond his publications, Dr. Mahapatra helped establish two professional organizations in 2011: the Neurological Surgeons Society of India (NSSI) and the Indian Society of Peripheral Nerve Surgery (ISPNS). He served as the founding president of both organizations, contributing to the development of professional collaboration and knowledge-sharing in neurosurgery.
Throughout his career, Dr. Mahapatra has received many awards.
However, one of the most impressive was in 2025, when the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri. This is the fourth highest civilian award in the country. He received this from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 28, 2025.
He was also associated with the C.V. Raman Award for Scientific Excellence. This recognized his contributions to scientific research. The award was announced in 2021 but was presented in 2022.
Although Dr. Mahapatra spent the majority of his career working within prestigious medical centers across the country, he always kept a strong connection to his home state, Odisha.
He was married to his wife, Suprabha Panigrahi, and had a daughter named, Dr. Subhashree Mahapatra, who is a research scientist within microbiology in Germany.
Despite having spent many years away from his native region, he still had a strong connection to it. This was shown as he travelled to Puri for his final journey.
His connection with his native village, Biranarasinghapur, extended beyond his personal roots. According to local residents quoted by The Times of India, he helped students pursue quality education and assisted villagers in accessing treatment at AIIMS New Delhi, AIIMS Bhubaneswar and other reputed hospitals.
He was also the working president of the Bhakta Dasia Memorial Trust, a social service organization.
Dr. Mahapatra sadly passed away on November 2, 2026, at AIIMS New Delhi. He had been battling a brain tumor. Tributes poured in from the medical industry, academic institutions and public figures.
His body was brought back to Odisha, and he received a full State funeral at Swargadwar, Puri. Family, colleagues, public figures and others turned out to say their final goodbyes.
His passing also drew an emotional response from Jaga and his family. In an interview with OTV on November 3, 2026, Jaga remembered the neurosurgeon, saying, "The one who saved my life is no more. I am sad; it is painful for me." His father, Bhuyan Kanhar, also recalled how Dr. Mahapatra continued enquiring about the twins' health and well-being after their separation.
His unfortunate passing marks the end to a long career. Throughout his career, he was a neurosurgeon who had taken on some of the most challenging neurological cases. He has also been an academic who has contributed greatly to medical literature. Finally, he was an administrator who helped set up prestigious medical institutions.
Although he is best-known for separating Jaga & Balia, he has left a legacy that goes far beyond just one operation. His contributions to neurosurgery, pediatrics, research, medical education and development have all contributed to this legacy.
Throughout his life, Dr. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra has shown the varied roles within a medical profession. He will be remembered for the work he has done in helping patients, improving scientific knowledge, training future professionals and creating institutions that will help many generations.
References:
1. OB Bureau. “Noted Neurosurgeon Ashok Mahapatra Cremated with Full State Honours in Odisha’s Puri.” OdishaBytes, November 4, 2026. https://odishabytes.com/noted-neurosurgeon-ashok-mahapatra-cremated-with-full-state-honours-in-odishas-puri/amp/.
2. Mishra, Manikant. “Padma Shri Neurosurgeon Dr Ashok Kumar Mahapatra Loses Battle to Brain Tumour at AIIMS-Delhi.” The Tribune, November 4, 2026. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/delhi/padma-shri-neurosurgeon-loses-battle-to-brain-tumour-at-aiims-delhi/.
3. President's Secretariat. “Padma Awards 2025: Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra.” President of India. 2025. https://www.presidentofindia.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-06/padma_awards_2025_ceremony_i_1_compressed.pdf.
4. Siksha 'O' Anusandhan. “Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Mahapatra Conferred with Padma Shri by the President.” April 29, 2025. https://www.soa.ac.in/general-notifications/2025/4/30/prof-dr-ashok-mahapatra-conferred-with-padma-shri-by-the-president.
5. Gupta, Deepak. “Prof Ashok Kumar Mahapatra (1952–2026).” International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery. 2026. https://ispn.org/in-memoriam/prof-ashok-kumar-mahapatra-1952-2026/.
6. Press Trust of India. “Surgery That Separated Jaga, Kalia Finds Place in Limca Book.” Business Standard, November 12, 2019.
