Indian broadcaster Asian News International (ANI) has reported that Muslim man Anwar Ahmed and Hindu man Vinod Mehra donated kidneys to each other's wives during two life-saving procedures at a private hospital in Jaipur, the capital of India’s religiously divided Rajasthan state.
Mr Ahmed said he was thankful for Mr Mehra's gesture, which came before the start of the Islamic festival, Eid-ul-Azha, in early September.
"I will celebrate this Eid-ul-Azha with more fervour, all thanks to Vinod," he told ANI.
"He has given his kidney to my wife. My wife is doing well now and recovering. She will be discharged from the hospital a day before Eid-ul-Azha. I have a respect to Vinod bhai (brother or friend) as he has given his kidney to my wife."
"She got Ahmed bhai's kidney in a kidney transplant surgery," he added.
"For me Hindu-Muslims are bhai-bhai. I never thought any discrimination in my life and I will never do it in my life. But, after transplant, we (the two families) share special bonding."
The hospital's chief nephrologist who conducted the procedure, Dr Ashutosh Soni, said the surgery was "rare" and that "in 90 per cent of the cases, females are donors".
"Wife of Vinod, Anita was suffering from glomerular disease for the past few years leading to kidney failure. Her blood group is B positive," he said.
"Vinod's blood group was A positive. Besides, Ahmed's wife Tasleem Jahan's kidney failed due to excessive use of pain killers.
"Her blood group was A positive and Ahmed's blood group is B positive. According to the Human Organ Transplant Act, only near relatives can donate kidneys. But, it permits swap kidney transplants.
"In the case of these two couples, they were perfect for swap kidney transplant. Ahmed's blood group was matching with Anita's and Tasleem's blood group was found matching with Vinod."
