BALASORE: When Shital Dattaram Zemane presented to President Droupadi Murmu an assistive device for persons with disabilities (PwDs) on July 31, it marked a milestone for Fakir Mohan University.
Founder of Gargi Automated and Robotic Gadget Industries, Shital is the university’s first incubatee and Hackathon 2.0 winner. As part of its Technology Business Incubator (TBI), supported by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), she successfully developed ‘Automated Transformable Bed-Chair System’, the assistive device designed to improve the quality of life of PwDs.
The innovation was developed with financial assistance received in 2023 and sustained technical and institutional support from the university’s TBI. Shital was selected among 26 grassroots innovators from across the country by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and was invited to showcase her innovation before the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center.
During the interaction, Murmu appreciated the innovation and praised the grassroots innovators for combining scientific thinking with practical solutions to address societal challenges, encouraging them to continue developing technologies that contribute to an inclusive and self-reliant India.
The university said the TBI’s successful foray was result of vice-chancellor Prof Santosh Kumar Tripathy’s guidance helping build academic excellence, innovation, research, entrepreneurship and community engagement as it marches on as a leading public university of the state.
It also cited the support of Prof Santosh Kumar Agarwalla, chairman, PG Council, registrar Kukumina Das and coordinator of the TBI Prof Pankaj Kumar Parhi.