Rahul Ahirwar, a 23 – year – old  resident of Madhya  Pradesh had a 14 hour hand transplant surgery on this day last year.  It was done at the civic-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital, Parel  by Dr Vinita Puri, head of the plastic surgery department .  Yesterday on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan Dr. Puri tied a rakhi on Rahul’s hand.  It’s  a  first  anniversary after the surgery.  In Mumbai  it’s  the first hand transplant to be done at a public –run institution . “August 11 will remain the most important date in my life. Last year, I got my hand back and this year, my operating doctor tied rakhi on the same hand which has gained full sensation,” Rahul told The Indian Express.  Before tying the Rakhi , Dr.Puri performed Aarti  and put a tilak.  Dr.Puri got a pen and chocolate in turn. “In a hundred lifetimes, I won’t be able to pay her back for what she has done for me,” he said. In 2021 Raksha Bandhan fell on August 22 . “Last year also I tied a rakhi on his wrist, but over the bandage. It is more special this year as he has gained sensation in his hand so he could feel the rakhi,” said Dr Puri. 19-year-old Rahul was working in Haryana in a local automobile  factory. His right hand got struck in a machine and he lost both his hands on April 26,2019.  After searching for many hospitals and doctors he came to know about KEM hospital . So after waiting for two years he underwent surgery.  It is from Chembur where he is staying with his brother and sister-in –law  he had come everyday of 2021 for his rehabilitation therapy. “As these exercises are essential to gain full strength of his hand, my family shifted to Mumbai from Haryana. They take me to the hospital daily…,” he said. Other organ transplants  kidneys or liver are also less complicated and less technical compared to hand transplant .   These procedures are known as composite allotransplantation and involve connecting two main arteries, bones, multiple veins, nerves and tendons.