Chief of Army Staff inaugurates new upper limb training lab at Pune’s Artificial Limb Centre

In addition to the tour, the COAS interacted with the patients, offering words of encouragement.

The Artificial Limb Centre, a premier tri-services institution of the Armed Forces Medical Services, was established in Pune in 1944. Later in 1945, the establishment was shifted to Kirkee and then to Lahore in December 1946. However, after India’s partition in August 1947, the Centre was re-established in Pune, at its present location on January 1, 1948.

Initially, the ALC was set up to provide prosthetic limbs to soldiers injured in combat. The centre continues to set the standard for prosthetic care, helping soldiers and veterans lead independent and fulfilling lives.

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi at the Artificial Limb Centre (ALC) in Pune on Tuesday. Initially, the ALC was set up to provide prosthetic limbs to soldiers injured in combat. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)

Services have extended to civilians and with the advancement of prosthetic technologies the ALC also expanded its role and set up the Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics Education to ensure that the next generation of prosthetists are equipped with technical skills to handle innovations.

The upper limb training laboratory is aimed at helping amputees develop the skills that are vital for using their mechanical and bionic devices. The advanced limbs respond to muscle contractions and utilise sensors to mimic natural movements. The cosmetic limbs are designed to resemble natural ones and each amputee then gets a personalised approach tailored to his needs. Apart from strength and coordination activities, advanced training is provided so that the patients are functional.

It may be recalled that last year, the ALC also set up the state-of-the-art gait training lab which included a baropedometer, an advanced tool that analyses weight distribution to optimise gait patterns and enhance comfort for amputees. The lab also had a dynamic stair trainer that simulated real-world challenges such as stairs and slopes. Senior officers at ALC said that the centre plays a significant role in setting up rehabilitation services so that amputees can get used to their new limbs, living up to their motto of “No wheelchairs, no crutches.”

ALC and Paralympics

India also owes its most successful performance in paralympic history at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, securing 29 medals – 7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze- to a large extent to the ALC that has been known to fit out many paralympics over the years with prosthetic limbs. This includes Sumit Antil, gold medalist in javelin at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympics; Nitesh Kumar, who won a gold in men’s singles in badminton at Paris Paralympics 2024; and Hokato Hotozhe Seema, who bagged a bronze medal in shot-put at 2024 Paralympics.

Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist in 50-metre freestyle swimming at the 1972 Heidelberg Games in Germany who also happens to be the real inspiration behind the movie ‘Chandu Champion’ starring Karthik Aryan, said: “ALC did not just give me prosthetics; they restored my warrior spirit and rebuilt my broken dreams. The dedicated staff and world-class facilities helped me find my strength again. Today’s Para-athletes might see me as an inspiration, but I see ALC as the true architect of India’s Paralympic journey,” said Petkar.