2 min readChandigarhMay 3, 2026 05:46 PM IST
In a race against time, a 14-year-old Sudanese boy was saved on Saturday evening after a donor heart was retrieved from Command Hospital, Chandimandir, and flown to New Delhi in just 29 minutes.
The coordination between the Indian Army, private medical teams, and aviation authorities marked the first-ever airborne organ mission of its kind in the northern sector, spanning from a military hospital to a private healthcare facility.
The young patient, battling a terminal heart ailment at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, reportedly had less than 24 hours to live. In a ray of hope, a compatible donor heart was identified at the Command Hospital in Chandigarh.
Despite the heavy air traffic typical of peak evening hours, the chartered flight carrying the organ was airborne from Chandigarh at 6.51 pm, and touched down at the Delhi airport by 7.20 pm. Within an hour of landing, the heart was successfully transplanted into the recipient.
Group Captain P S Lamba, VSM (Retd), Vice President of Air Charter Service Private Limited, described the mission as a “historic achievement.”
“This was a complex operation involving medical-legal documentation, OT briefings, CISF coordination under DGCA protocols, and the establishment of green corridors by civil traffic police in both cities,” Lamba said. “We are honoured to have played a role in saving this child’s life.”
The mission was authorised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). To maintain the organ’s viability, it was packed under strict sterile conditions with perfusion solutions and ice packs. Because of the risk of infection, the box could not be X-rayed or placed with general baggage, necessitating specialised handling by the aviation crew.
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Senior officials associated with the mission noted that this successful transfer marks a milestone for India’s medical aviation sector.
“This mission proves that India can successfully transfer critical organs like the heart within the precious 4-to-6-hour viability window,” a senior officer said. “It is an inspiring achievement for thousands of patients waiting for such rapid connectivity to become more frequent.”
The joint operation involved Command Hospital (Chandimandir), Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (New Delhi), and Air Charter Services Private Limited
