Chennai, Nov 26 (BPNS)

MGC Leelavathi, niece of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and matinee idol, late MG Ramachandran (MGR) who donated her kidney to him after he was admitted to a Brooklyn hospital over renal failure, passed away in Chennai on Thursday.

She was 72 and is survived by two daughters. She is the daughter of MGR’s elder brother, M.G. Chakrapani.

Leelavathi who was married to a medical doctor, Raveendranath was living in Chelakkara in  Thrissur district of Kerala when MGR was shifted to the US after he had renal failure. She rushed to Chennai and expressed her willingness to donate her kidney to the Chief Minister and the surgery was done in Brooklyn in United States of America.

MGR passed away on 24 December 1987 in Chennai.

Her brother MGC Rajendran while speaking to media persons at Chennai on Friday said, “Leelavathi was not well and was admitted to hospital but her condition improved and she returned back home. However, again her condition worsened and she passed away on Thursday night.”

She was living in Chennai since 1989. Her other brother MGC Sukumar had acted in a few movies. Her brother Rajendran’s son, MCR Praveen joined BJP, and she along with the family had met Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in New Delhi in 2017.