Bismillah Khan's condition stable

The condition of ailing shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan is improving and there is no need to put him on life support as his vital parameters are functioning normally, doctors attending on him said on Friday.

A three-member medical team comprising nephrologists D K Sinha, cardiologist Ajay Kumar Pandey and gastro-enterologist Hemant Gupta examined the 92-year-old Bharat Ratna awardee on Friday morning and expressed satisfaction with his progress, Heritage Hospital superintendent Brig P S R Ayer said in a medical bulletin.

Khan's vital parameters like heartbeat, blood pressure and breathing were found normal, while the condition of his liver and other organs has improved but the electrolitis is still high, Ayer said.

Expressing satisfaction at the improvement of the condition of Khan, Ayer said there was no need to put him on life support.

Khan's physical and mental condition is active and he met and greeted his family members, relatives and well-wishers who called on him at the hospital's intensive care unit. He also took liquid diet, including milk, on Friday morning, the bulletin said.

Referring to his ailments, Ayer said Khan suffered from mild pnuemenia, heart valve leakage, congestion, chronic malnutrition and dehydration, which he claimed was normal with people of his age.

Khan's ailments were detected for the first time as he had never undergone a thorough ultrasound and other medical tests. He will be kept in the intensive care unit for the next two to three days for observation.

UNI adds:

The Bombay Hospital has decided to foot the entire medical expenses of ailing shehnai mastro and if needed, also bring him to Mumbai for further advanced treatment.

Dr Ashish Tiwari, spokesperson of the Bombay Hospital told UNI that they learnt about the shehnai maestro's bad financial state and therefore the hospital management had decided to bear his total medical expenses. If the need arose, Bombay Hospital will send a team to Varanasi to bring him to Mumbai for further treatment, he added.

The 92 year old was shifted from his Harha Sarai residence to the Heritage Hospital in Lanka area, Varanasi on Thursday, after he agreed to District Magistrate Rajiv Agrawal's request for shifting him to a premier hospital in the city for advanced health care.