A country where the differently abled can live a life of comparative ease is the dream of Prajith Jayapal, founder of Divyang Foundation that works for the uplift, medical care, and educational advancement of such people.
This 40-year-old wheelchair-bound man from Kozhikode is on a mission to help organise an ability expo in India in 2020 and is going to San Francisco, U.S., to attend an expo there and learn something meanwhile.
Prajith came to limelight in April this year when he travelled to Delhi in a specially designed car to create awareness about the rights of the differently abled in the country. It was his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the end of the journey that kindled the idea of organising an ability expo in him.
“It was the Prime Minister who suggested that I attend the expo in San Francisco to get an idea of whatever latest technology and research, which can help the differently abled have a better life, are out there,” Prajith said adding that the government had offered all support for the proposed expo in India.
Ability expos
Prajith will be in the U.S. for 60 days from October 12 attending two ability expos featuring the latest equipment for the differently abled, medical research, and treatment options. He will also be meeting various stakeholders in the sector, including representatives of universities and stem cell research institutes, individually.
“My aim is to bring the latest technologies to India and also to invite researchers and companies unofficially to India,” he said. Prajith’s journey is being sponsored by the Roman Reed Foundation that raise funds for stem cell research.
“There are so many research institutes that are interested in conducting clinical trials in India. Technologies such as Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) that uses robotics for human assistance can revolutionise the life of differently abled people in the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Prajith’s eight-month-old Divyang Foundation is engaged in making the life of differently abled flood survivors a bit better by providing them material assistance.