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The initiative is an important milestone for veterans, serving personnel, and dependents undergoing rehabilitation. It is an active, ultra-lightweight wheelchair designed for them to self-propel independently.
In a unique effort to support the Indian Army's rehabilitation programme, the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras) today handed over the first batch of 25 indigenously developed YD One ultra-lightweight wheelchairs to Army Hospital (Research and Referral), the apex medical facility of the Armed Forces Medical Services under India's Ministry of Defence, located in Delhi Cantonment.
The handover marks the first tranche of a 100-wheelchair programme implemented by IIT Madras and funded by Fiserv, the global provider of payments and financial technology services. The remaining 75 wheelchairs will be delivered in subsequent batches over the coming months.
The initiative is an important milestone in addressing soldiers' mobility by integrating modern design with cutting-edge technology.
The YD One wheelchairs are manufactured by Thryv Mobility, an IIT Madras-incubated company specialising in the design and manufacture of high-quality, ultra-lightweight active wheelchairs. The wheelchairs have been developed at IIT Madras's TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) in collaboration with Thryv Mobility, with co-design input from wheelchair users.
Rear Admiral Deepak Bansal (Retd), Professor of Practice at IIT Madras, who operates as the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Thryv Mobility, has been a part of such initiatives. He has been instrumental in forging civil-military fusion, mentoring young faculty, and connecting the dots among academia, industry, and the military establishment to deliver indigenous assistive technologies to those who need them most.
The YD One is not a traditional institutional wheelchair. It is an active, ultra-lightweight wheelchair designed for users to self-propel independently. The wheelchairs handed over to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) will be used within the hospital's rehabilitation programme - introducing patients to active mobility as part of their rehabilitation journey, and demonstrating that independent, self-propelled movement is achievable.
Recognising the significant contribution, Lt General Avinash Das, Commandant, Army Hospital (R&R), highlighted the efforts, said: "Mobility is fundamental to dignity and independence. We welcome this contribution from IIT Madras and Fiserv, which will directly support our patients and their families in regaining and maintaining mobility through devices designed and built in India."
For veterans, serving personnel, and dependents undergoing rehabilitation, that exposure changes what they understand to be possible. The initiative reflects the convergence of three priorities: indigenous research and development of advanced assistive technology, corporate philanthropy aligned with national disability priorities, and integration of active mobility into the rehabilitation pathway of those who have served the country.
Thryv Mobility's focus on using advanced tech in these areas is an important aspect of the overall soldiers' rehabilitation programme.
Justin Jesudas, CEO and Co-founder, Thryv Mobility and a wheelchair user, further outlines such initiative: "The YD One was designed and built in India to serve Indian users without compromise on quality. To see it now reaching the men and women of the Armed Forces, through the leadership of IIT Madras and the support of Fiserv, is the deepest validation of why this product exists."
Manish Kumar Jha is a Consulting & Contributing Editor for SP's Aviation, SP's Land Forces and SP's Naval Forces and a security expert. He writes on national security, military technology, strategic affairs & policies.
