IIT Madras hands Over First Batch of Indigenous Ultra-Lightweight Wheelchairs to Army Hospital, New Dehi
Chennai, June 22 (TNT): The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) on Monday handed over the first batch of 25 indigenously developed YD One ultra-lightweight wheelchairs to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral), the apex medical facility of the Armed Forces Medical Services, New Delhi.
The handover marks the first phase of a 100-wheelchair programme being implemented by IIT Madras under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnership funded by Fiserv, a global provider of payments and financial technology services, the Institute said in a release here.
The remaining 75 wheelchairs will be delivered in subsequent batches over the coming months.
The YD One wheelchairs are manufactured by Thryv Mobility, an IIT Madras-incubated company specialising in ultra-lightweight active wheelchairs.
The devices were developed at the IIT Madras TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) in collaboration with Thryv Mobility and wheelchair users.
Army Hospital (R&R) Commandant Lt Gen Avinash Das said mobility is fundamental to dignity and independence and welcomed the initiative, noting that the indigenously designed wheelchairs would support patients and their families in regaining mobility.
Prof. Manish Anand of IIT Madras said the handover reflects the institute’s commitment to developing indigenous assistive technologies that meet Indian requirements while adhering to global standards. He added that the project demonstrates the successful translation of research into practical solutions for those who have served the nation.
Rear Admiral Deepak Bansal (Retd.), Professor of Practice at IIT Madras and Head of Strategic Partnerships at Thryv Mobility, played a key role in fostering collaboration between academia, industry and the military to promote indigenous assistive technologies.
Fiserv President (Global Services) Sachin Kulkarni said the partnership aligns with the company’s CSR vision of supporting initiatives that create lasting social impact and expand opportunities through innovation.
Thryv Mobility CEO and Co-founder Justin Jesudas said the YD One wheelchair was designed and built in India without compromising on quality and that its deployment among Armed Forces personnel and veterans was a significant milestone.
Unlike conventional institutional wheelchairs, the YD One is an active, ultra-lightweight wheelchair designed to enable users to self-propel independently.
The wheelchairs will be used as part of the rehabilitation programme at Army Hospital (R&R), helping patients experience active mobility and greater independence during recovery.
The initiative brings together indigenous research and development, corporate philanthropy and rehabilitation services to improve mobility outcomes for serving personnel, veterans and their dependents.
TNT KS
