While participating in a medical innovation fellowship in Odisha, 27-year-old Sruthi Babu’s life was forever transformed by a chance encounter at a hospital in Coimbatore. While there, she met a paralyzed man accompanied by his daughters who needed assistance using the restroom. The man’s eyes reflected guilt and shame, and he whispered to himself, ‘It is better to die than live like this.’ This poignant moment left an indelible impression on Sruthi, as she recounted to The Better India.

Moved by the encounter with the paralyzed man, Sruthi Babu made a life-changing decision to create a solution that would ease some of the struggles experienced by people with mobility impairments.

Years of tireless effort paid off when Sruthi finally unveiled Sahayatha, a revolutionary smart wheelchair equipped with an inbuilt commode, a battery indicator, and a 180-degree reclining armrest.

Her innovation caught the attention of the investors on Shark Tank Season 2 and impressed them so much that they offered her a deal of Rs 1 crore for 10 percent equity in the company.

Sruthi, a biomedical instrumentation engineering graduate, was working as a medical coder in her hometown of Coimbatore when she came across a fellowship program in Odisha that piqued her interest. Despite being a shy person who had never left her hometown before, she was motivated by her father to step out of her comfort zone and pursue the opportunity to learn the ways of business.

The fellowship program, which focused on social innovation, turned out to be a life-changing experience for Sruthi. She gained valuable knowledge and skills that helped her kickstart her entrepreneurial journey. In 2018, after witnessing the struggles of a paralysed man, Sruthi conceptualized the idea of a smart wheelchair to help people with disabilities have better mobility.

Despite facing language barriers and being in an unfamiliar environment, Sruthi persevered and worked tirelessly under the guidance of her mentors from BIRAC and KIIT to develop various ways of making the wheelchairs more user-friendly. She knew that there was a market for this kind of innovation, but there was still a lack of knowledge about it.

With her passion for entrepreneurship and dedication to helping people with disabilities, Sruthi’s journey with Sahayatha began.

‘My greatest support was my father.’

Sruthi’s father, K K Babu, played a crucial role in the development of the smart wheelchair. With his mechanical engineering background, he helped with the designing and mechanical aspects of the product. Together, they set up a small unit in Coimbatore and worked tirelessly on the project, going through 118 iterations before arriving at the final product.

In 2020, they were ready to run trials of the wheelchair, but the pandemic hit, and hospitals were too busy treating COVID patients to help with the trials. However, they noticed that many COVID patients were too weak to go to the washrooms, so they suggested placing the chair near the patient. The hospital agreed, and they went ahead with the pilot study, which took nearly six months to complete.

With the product ready for launch, Sruthi went to an expo in Chennai, but her father passed away while she was there. This loss was a significant blow to her, as he had been her biggest supporter and motivation throughout the project. Despite this setback, she gathered herself and launched the product.

The Sahayatha smart wheelchair has many benefits that go beyond just mobility. It includes a self-cleaning toilet facility that uses a bidet system, which is a Japanese technique commonly used in toilets. The chair has an inbuilt water storage system, and faecal matter is collected in a cup-shaped container, which can be removed easily from the back of the chair without disturbing the patient. The chair can also be converted into a stretcher, making it easier for people with limited mobility to transfer themselves to the bed. Sruthi highlights that people with mobility issues require assistance with basic tasks like passing urine and motions, and the Sahayatha smart wheelchair provides a solution to these problems.

Sahayatha’s innovative smart wheelchair has two variations, the S100 and the S200. The S200 model can be converted into a stretcher, making it a multifunctional tool for those with mobility issues. Both models use a cleaning system that works on a rechargeable battery, which can last for up to 30 days once charged. The S100 is priced at Rs 29,900, while the S200 is priced at Rs 39,900. With these affordable prices, the Sahayatha team hopes to make their product accessible to as many people as possible who can benefit from it.

Sahayatha’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and determination. Sruthi’s father was her biggest supporter and motivator, and even after his untimely demise, she continued to work tirelessly to bring her vision to life. Today, her smart wheelchair is providing an invaluable service to those who need it most, and the impact it has had on their lives is immeasurable.

Sruthi’s journey is an inspiration to all those who dare to dream and strive for greatness. It proves that with hard work, dedication, and a willingness to step out of our comfort zones, we can achieve anything we set our minds to. And most importantly, it teaches us that the most meaningful innovations often come from the most unexpected places.

As we celebrate Sruthi and her team’s achievements, let us remember that the world is full of possibilities waiting to be explored. All we need is the courage to take that first step and the determination to keep moving forward, no matter what obstacles we may face. The future is bright, and with innovators like Sruthi leading the way, we can look forward to a world that is more inclusive, compassionate, and equitable for all.