Youngest recipient of shoulder-level hand transplant finds power in her left

Time of India

2 days ago

SLUG: International Lefthanders Day
Surat: For most people, switching their dominant hand is a matter of preference or skill — some, like Albert Einstein, mastered writing with both hands.
But for 19-year-old Anamta Ahmad, a young girl from Mumbai and now the world's youngest recipient of a shoulder-level hand transplant, receiving the right hand of Valsad's Riya Mistry in a rare procedure became a fight for survival — a journey marked by tragedy, resilience, and an unwavering will to adapt after losing her right hand in an electrocution accident.
Three years ago, a severe electric shock injury forced doctors to amputate Anamta's right hand.
The loss was devastating. She admits she was initially angry with her parents for allowing the surgery, but within 24 hours, she accepted the reality and set her mind on adapting to life without it.
Determined not to let the accident define her, she began training herself to use her left hand for everything — from writing to daily chores. The first words she penned with her new dominant hand were not of despair but of defiance: "Caution: No Sympathy," a note she pinned to her bedroom wall as a reminder to everyone and herself, that she would not be held back.
"Despite the major accident and hand amputation, she secured overall 92% marks in her Class X exams and 98% in Hindi. Maybe the confidence was the major force that helped her survive the transplantation surgery, which is considered rare," said her father, Aqeel.
The electric shock had also severely injured her left hand, requiring multiple surgeries to save it. Initially, even using that hand was a challenge. But through determination and relentless practice, she regained strength and dexterity.
Immediately after returning home post-amputation, Anamta started practising writing and handling everyday tasks with her left hand. While she took the help of a writer during exams, she continued practising so she could one day do it all herself. Even after undergoing the transplant, she still relies entirely on her left hand, as the new right hand will take time to become fully functional.
"I use my left hand for all work — from writing to using a computer.
The transplanted hand isn't fully functional yet, and it will take some time," Anamta told TOI. It took her about three months after the amputation to be able to write and manage most tasks with her left hand.
In Oct 2022, Anamta was electrocuted while playing on a terrace at a relative's home in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Nearly two years later, in Sep 2024, she received the right hand of Mistry in a rare transplantation procedure.
"My educational institute, Mithibai College, has been very supportive. They allowed me to appear for exams despite long medical leaves, which helped me continue my studies even through hospitalisation and recovery," she said.
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