[Answer]-Copying Django model row data before updating

you would have to query the database to get the original object. instance has the updated object, which is ready to be saved into the database.

class Country(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=16)

def make_copy(sender, **kwargs):
    obj = kwargs['instance']
    try:
        orig_obj = Country.objects.get(pk=obj.pk)
    except: #If it is a new object
        orig_obj = None

pre_save.connect(make_copy, sender=Country)