After a houseful show on an innovative dancing wheelchair by Syed Sallauddin Pasha for scientists all over India at IIT Madras, we had an interactive session with Professor Sujatha Srinivasan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, who is also the head of R2D2. It was an experience for my wife Mahiraa Jaan Pasha and I to see, feel and practically try out newly designed standing wheelchair.
“Using wheelchair all the time can give secondary health issues such as lowered blood circulation, sore body, and pressure sores. One needs to stand at least three times a week. But, standing is not possible due to their condition and they need support from other people. The standing wheelchair will cost the same as a normal wheelchair,” said Professor Srinivasan. The standing wheelchair named ‘Arise’ has been designed by TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development, R2D2.
“It enables a differently-abled person requiring a wheelchair to shift from sitting to standing position, and vice versa, independently and in a controlled manner,” Professor Sujatha Srinivasan was indeed very happy to know the methodology of Guru Syed Sallauddin Pasha’s dancing wheelchair, in which he has created world-famous classical dances. Pasha’s innovative dancing wheelchairs made people with disabilities to dance professionally classical dances. He has given a new dimension to Bharatanatyam on wheels. You need two legs to dance, but Pasha, after research and development, sitting on wheelchairs for years, has enabled four-wheeled wheelchair to dance Bharatanatyam.
This invention will make its mark to the history of Indian Classical dance as well as the differently-abled community. Pasha is a professionally qualified Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancer, choreographer and Director of Therapeutic Dance Theatre. So far, he has directed more than 100 wheelchair dance productions. The standing wheelchair by IIT Madras is very much needed for people with disabilities.