New Delhi, February 13, 2026: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has taken a significant step toward introducing India’s first face transplant program — a highly complex and advanced reconstructive procedure that could transform the lives of patients with severe facial deformities.
As part of this initiative, the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery conducted an intensive cadaveric workshop and academic training program from February 11 to 15, 2026, at the Burns and Plastic Surgery Block, AIIMS. The program brought together experts from multiple specialties to build clinical readiness, surgical expertise, and ethical preparedness required for such a demanding procedure.
Leading the international collaboration was Dr. Indranil Sinha, Associate Chief of Plastic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, a globally recognised expert in composite tissue allotransplantation and face transplant surgery. At AIIMS, the program was spearheaded by Dr. Maneesh Singhal along with faculty members Dr. Shashank Chauhan, Dr. Raja Tiwari, Dr. Rajkumar Manas, Dr. Shivangi Saha, and Dr. Aparna Sinha.
The training included hands-on cadaveric surgical practice, focused academic lectures, and interdisciplinary discussions involving ENT, Maxillofacial Surgery, Nephrology, Immunology, Pathology, Psychiatry, Critical Care, Anatomy, and the Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO).
Speaking at the event, Dr. Maneesh Singhal, Head of the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery, highlighted the urgent need for such an advanced procedure. He noted that many patients suffering from devastating facial deformities due to acid burns, gunshot injuries, and severe trauma undergo multiple surgeries yet remain functionally and aesthetically compromised. Proper patient selection, counselling, and psychological readiness are critical before considering face transplantation, he emphasised.
Dr. Indranil Sinha stated that AIIMS possesses infrastructure and surgical capabilities comparable to global standards and expressed his full support for developing the face transplant program.
Dr. Dipankar Bhowmick, Head of the Department of Nephrology, emphasised the importance of immunosuppression in transplant success and confirmed that AIIMS has the necessary expertise and facilities to support such complex procedures.
Faculty members Dr. Shashank Chauhan and Dr. Shivangi Saha highlighted their experience in complex facial reconstruction and aesthetic surgery, which would help initiate the face transplant program at AIIMS. Meanwhile, Dr. Preethy K from the Department of Psychiatry underscored the importance of long-term rehabilitation and psychological counselling throughout the transplant journey.
Dr. Singhal concluded that structured training, multidisciplinary collaboration, and ethical preparedness are essential before embarking on such complex surgical milestones. The ongoing initiative marks a major step toward bringing advanced facial transplantation to India, offering renewed hope to patients with limited reconstructive options.
