Infantry soldier set to rejoin unit after rare bilateral lung transplant in city
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Pune: Infantry soldier Tariq Aziz (30) is set to return to active duty after undergoing a bilateral lung transplant — the first-ever by a serving soldier in the Indian Armed Forces.
Doctors said Tariq was last year diagnosed with Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (PLCH), a rare interstitial lung disease with fewer than 300 documented cases in India, typically affecting young adult males. The disease causes immune cells, known as langerhans cells, to infiltrate the lungs. It leads to scarring, inflammation and respiratory failure.
His symptoms began as a persistent cough and breathlessness during drills, initially mistaken for routine fatigue.
As his condition worsened, advanced imaging and a lung biopsy confirmed the rare diagnosis, an uncommon outcome for a young, otherwise fit soldier.
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Despite medical therapy, his lung function declined rapidly. He was placed under long-term care at the Army Institute of Cardio-Thoracic Sciences (AICTS), Pune, where he spent nearly seven months on oxygen support, battling complications like recurrent pneumothorax and severe hypoxemia.
When medical options ran out, a bilateral lung transplant became the only hope.
The procedure was successfully conducted on April 4 this year at DY Patil Hospital, by a multidisciplinary transplant team led by Dr Rahul Kendre, in close collaboration with AICTS. Post-surgery, Tariq returned to AICTS for rehabilitation and immunosuppressive management, where he has shown an outstanding recovery, said doctors.
"My unit gave me a new lease on life," Tariq told TOI in his recovery room. "If I weren't a soldier, my family could never have afforded this treatment. Now I want to give back by rejoining my regiment."
A native of Kandu village, Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir, Tariq joined the 6th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment in 2015 and has served in several operational areas. "Wearing the uniform was my childhood dream," he said, proud of his family's military legacy, with two uncles having served before him.
Maj Gen PK Sharma, Commandant, AICTS, called Tariq's journey a milestone in military medicine and "a powerful example" for soldiers. "This is a classic example of collaboration between civilian counterparts and military healthcare systems in saving lives," Sharma told TOI.
Col Manu Chopra, head of respiratory medicine at AICTS, said, "His recovery is a result of disciplined rehabilitation, pre-op care, and the fighting spirit he brings as a soldier."
Now nearing discharge, Tariq is focused on resuming service. "I've never lost my sense of duty. I hope my story motivates other soldiers to fight through adversity," he said.
An army doctor, choosing anonymity, said, "His journey is not just a medical triumph, but his determination and grit to serve his unit. It will certainly become an inspiring example for the soldiers in the regiment."
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