An affordable electric wheelchair will soon be available in India for people with disabilities
An electric wheelchair that's made in India and is affordable is an idea whose time is nearing. An ongoing project at the Indian Spinal Injuries will soon be ready with such wheelchairs.
Head of Department of Assistive Technology at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) Nekram Upadhyay, who has been working on it, says, "The project is in its final stages. We have tied up with the University of Pittsburgh.”
A successful trial has already been held in India. "So now, on the basis of technology transfer from the US and their approval, it will be finally tested. Then, with the help of a manufacturer, we'll market it,” says 34-year-old Upadhyay, who is also a rehabilitation engineering technologist and has been heading the Assistive Technology Department since its inception in 2006.
The wheelchair, which will cost Rs. 30,000, is designed in such a way that it can used in rugged terrains and in rural areas as well. "There is no such wheelchair available in India yet. The electric ones are imported from abroad and they are available Rs. 1,00,000 onwards, which becomes unaffordable for a lot of people,” says Upadhyay.
Upadhyay, along with a team, is involved in designing assistive devices for people who are affected by spinal cord injury to help them become independent.
Upadhyay belongs to Jaipur, and studied Product Design from Rajasthan University. "After that, I worked from 1999-2003 at an NGO — the Indian Council of Social Welfare — where I was an accessibility expert. I used to work there for the disabled and it was then that I decided I wanted to explore this field, and started looking for professional courses in this area. But I couldn't find many options in India,” he says.