The department of plastic surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) performed Delhi's first Hand transplant in the month of January 2024.

“The vision of hand transplant was seen in pre-COVID era and we got clearance from Delhi govt. in February 2023. Since then, we had multiple recipients but there was no hand donation. In January 2024, we had the first hand donation from north India in our own hospital and the vision of hand transplant was converted into reality.” - Dr Mahesh Mangal, Chairman, HOD and Sr. Consultant, Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery at SGRH.

In an unforeseen twist of fate, Mr. Raj Kumar, a 45-year-old resident of Nangloi, a painted by trade, found himself at a critical juncture between despair and hope following a tragic train accident, in October 2020, that cost him both his upper limbs. Belonging to the economically disadvantaged strata of society, Raj Kumar became reliant on others for his everyday tasks. Initially opting for prosthetics, his attempts proved futile, leaving him with only one glimmer of hope: a hand transplant. However, at the time, no medical center in North India possessed the authorization to perform such a procedure.

In the third week of January 2024, a beacon of optimism emerged for Raj Kumar with a call from the hospital regarding a forthcoming hand donation. The family members of Mrs Meena Mehta, a retired Vice Principal of New Greenfield School in Kalkaji, New Delhi, generously expressed their wish to donate her organs upon her passing. For Raj Kumar, this operation signified more than just the physical restoration of his limbs; it heralded a new chapter of possibilities, resilience and a future filled with renewed hope.

“I would like to emphasize on more awareness about hand donation as it significantly changes the quality of life particularly of a bilateral upper limb amputee. Every deceased donor is a potential hand donor.” said Dr Mahesh Mangal, Sir Gangaram Hospital.