Ujjain Teacher Makes Retirement Memorable By Taking The Pledge To Donate Eyes And Body
Taking the cue from Shailendra Vyas to contribute towards society, his wife, son and daughter also followed suit.
Published : July 5, 2026 at 3:58 PM IST
Ujjain: Teachers are known to be instruments of social change. A teacher in Ujjain recently made his retirement from government service memorable by taking the pledge to donate his eyes and body. Having served for 39 years, Shailendra Vyas turned his farewell from service on June 30 into a grand mission in the service of humanity.
The 62-year-old's decision is supported by his family as his wife, son and daughter also pledged to donate their eyes and bodies alongside the pledge taken by him.
Shailendra has been honoured on various platforms by the President, Madhya Pradesh Governor and Chief Minister and others for his contribution towards society. Originally from Badnagar in Ujjain district, Shailendra came to be known as Swami Muskurake because of his penchant for making people laugh in his unique style.
He is known not only for his words but also for his attire and lifestyle. His vehicle bears the number 420, and his home is a museum of artefacts that show pride in Indian culture.
After completing his Class 11, he shifted to Ujjain in 1980. He got married on January 26, 1989, and retired on June 30, 2026, after serving at the Government Girls Secondary School at Naliya Bakhal.
He told ETV Bharat, "A human being is one who has a heart, love for the helpless and one who gets disturbed by every painful voice. About a year ago, a thought came to my mind that when we have shared smiles, knowledge and values throughout our life, we should also make our body useful after death. I shared this with the family. My wife, Hemlata Vyas, agreed without any hesitation. My son, Swami, was already registered for eye donation and body donation. My daughter Sahiba also accepted it happily."
The entire family got themselves registered for the donations six months ago and announced it on the day of his retirement.
Explaining his thought behind the decision to donate his body, Shailendra said, "Cremating the body consumes a huge amount of wood and also impacts the environment. On the other hand, donating the body gives medical students an opportunity to study. This gives a new direction to research. Along with this, eye donation can brighten the world of a visually-impaired person, which brings a smile on someone's face even after we are gone."
The decision was inspired by the personality of former President APJ Abdul Kalam. "When I received the award from President Kalam in 2004, I was deeply influenced by his personality and thoughts. This inspiration ultimately strengthened my decision to donate my body," he said.
Hemlata is also a government teacher who will be retiring on June 30, 2027. She disclosed, "Today, people are battling kidney, liver and other serious diseases. When my husband talked about donating his body, I felt that if my body can be of use to someone, what could be a greater virtue than this? Without any hesitation, I also took the pledge to donate my body."
Their son, Swami, who works in a private company in Hyderabad and their daughter, Sahiba, a college teacher in Indore, not only accepted their parents' decision but also decided to follow suit.
The couple said, "Children learn from what their parents do. If the family itself takes decisions for the welfare of the society, then the next generation also carries forward the same values without being told."
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