Lost Her Right Arm at 13 but Won at Life: Witness Anamta's Journey

"CAUTION: No Sympathy!" reads the bold message on the door of 15-year-old Anamta Ahmed's room. This isn't just a warning; it's a declaration of her resilience, a refusal to be defined by tragedy.

Anamta's story is one of courage, determination, and an unwavering belief that life is meant to be lived on your terms—even in the face of unimaginable adversity.

"It was October 30, 2022," she recalls, her voice steady as she recounts the day that changed her life forever.

I was on the terrace of my grandmother's house, enjoying a beautiful sunset. The breeze was cool, and the chatter of the busy Mohalla felt comforting. But in an instant, everything went dark.

Anamta Ahmed

Anamta had been struck by a devastating 11,000-watt electric shock, a force powerful enough to kill her instantly. But fate had other plans.

Waking up in Aligarh Hospital, she was met with chaos—people running, screaming, a scene straight out of a movie. But the real shock came when she looked at her right hand. "I screamed when I saw it," she says, "My skin was peeling off, and it looked terrible." The doctors' verdict was grim: her right hand needed to be amputated.

For a 15-year-old with dreams and aspirations, this could have been the end. But Anamta refused to let it be. "If I broke down, my entire family would collapse," she says, her determination palpable. Her father, desperate to save her hand, took her from Delhi to Mumbai, fighting for 52 days to avoid amputation. But after three surgeries, the inevitable happened—her right hand was gone.

Yet, this was just the beginning of Anamta's story. "I took my family out to celebrate after I was discharged," she recalls, defying expectations of gloom and despair.

I wasn't a 'bechari'; I had survived 11,000 volts. That was worth celebrating!

Anamta Ahmed

The challenges didn't end there. Her left hand, now her only functional one, was 80% dead, and doctors advised another surgery. But Anamta was determined to prove them wrong. "I spent the next two months in physiotherapy and acupuncture," she says. And when her doctor, Dr. Khishwani, handed her the medical reports, he couldn't hide his amazement: "You've proved Asia's greatest surgeon wrong," he told her.

The hand that was 80% dead had now recovered by 80%.

But Anamta wasn't done defying the odds. Her doctors recommended a two-year break from academics, but she had other plans. 

I started training my left hand. An average person might take a year to write with their non-dominant hand, but I had only a few months.

Anamta Ahmed

She trained for 8-10 hours a day, and within four months, she was writing with her left hand.

She released this video song written by Piyush Mishra about her journey from survival to excellence.

Two months before her exams, she dove into her studies, spending sleepless nights with her books. And when the results came in, Anamta had done the unthinkable—scoring 92%, she was among the top five rank holders in the ICSE board exams, even topping the Hindi subject.

From an amputated right hand to a 'dead' left hand, I left behind all the two-handers. I’m no longer a 'bechari'; I am the best version of myself.

Anamta Ahmed

Anamta Ahmed's journey is a testament to the power of human will and the belief that you can rise above any challenge. Her story isn't just one of survival; it's a narrative of triumph, resilience, and the unyielding spirit of a young girl who refused to be defined by tragedy.