CHENNAI: In the crucible of Kolathur, where the scent of engine oil mingled with the spark of invention, a quiet alchemy unfolded. Shankar Jai Kishan, who spoke the language of gears and dreams, sculpted mobility from metal and will. Fifty-nine-year-old Shankar Jai Kishan, who retrofits cars and bikes for disabled people, was busy at his workshop in Kolathur, north Chennai, checking and rechecking to see if the vehicles he retrofitted were perfect and ready for delivery. He did this while constantly murmuring words of praise for his staff.
Since Shankar Jai Kishan took voluntary retirement from his Signal Inspector post at Southern Railway in 2018, he has retrofitted hundreds of cars and bikes. He took voluntary retirement to pursue his passion for retrofitting vehicles for disabled persons so they have no mobility issues.
The electronics and telecommunications diploma holder later became a mechanic. Shankar says it all started with seeing his close friend Krishna, whose legs and left hand were affected by polio, and the happiness that heights and high altitudes would bring him.
“Krishna and I have been close friends from childhood. I used to carry him piggyback wherever we went. One day, when I took him to a tall building, the happiness, excitement, and joy I saw on his face couldn’t be described in words. He was on clould nine,” said Shankar.
“My friend loves heights and high altitudes. So, we decided to go on an expedition to the Himalayas. To do that, our friend needed a vehicle. But we didn’t have money. So, we planned to complete our studies, write exams, and secure a government job. We both did as we planned. Then we managed to buy an M80 bike, after which the biggest challenge was retrofitting it so my friend could drive to the Himalayas independently.”
“We searched nooks and crannies but couldn’t find a mechanic to do the job. Then we found a welder at Tondiarpet in north Chennai who promised to do the work under the condition of being given Rs 500 per day, as we kept asking for corrections to meet our needs and requirements after trying out the vehicle. Then, that vehicle managed to go to the Himalayas. We reached Khardung La after a 10-day journey. The terrain those days was very tough. Krishna was delighted when we reached the top; we didn’t feel like returning.”
“I thought about why we shouldn’t give the same happiness to other disabled persons and make them mobile and independent. After finishing my job shift in Southern Railway, I used to go to a welding shop to learn how to modify the vehicles. I also worked in a car workshop for two years without salary to learn how engines work, how to fabricate vehicles, etc. I dismantled and assembled engines and other parts to see if they worked during that time. Then I set up my workshop because others couldn’t understand how we wanted the vehicles modified. They couldn’t match our ideas.”
“Seeing my passion for it, my daughter, a pilot now, told me to resign to take this as a full-time job once she joined airlines after her pilot training. So, in 2018, I resigned and set up the workshop,” says Shankar.
Now, in a month, Shankar retrofits around 20 cars. His wife trains disabled people to drive the modified vehicle. She even delivers the cars from the workshop to their homes.
“I do it for women also because I want to provide mobility with dignity to the disabled. Women will not feel comfortable if someone physically touches them in the process of helping them. So, they need to be independent,” says Shankar.
Guru Babu Balaraman, a senior official working with Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai, who drives a retrofitted SUV, said, “Shankar is uniquely talented in understanding the needs of every disabled person. He, being a non-disabled person, understands the needs and requirements of disabled persons perfectly and retrofits their vehicles according to the personal requirements of an individual. The union and the state government should recognise the service of this selfless person and come forward to realise his dream of setting up a workshop in each district where he is trained. This facility can help people within their reach to modify their vehicles at affordable prices and make them mobile.”
Guru Babu, whose right leg was affected by polio, said driving the car independently gave him confidence. “It’s even my dream to travel to Khardung La pass in my vehicle,” he added.
Shankar is one of two RTO-certified individuals modifying vehicles in Tamil Nadu. He retrofitted the car of K Thansean, a 31-year-old Chennai man who lost both arms below the elbows and received a special driving license last year.
As the day’s labour faded, the workshop stood as a monument to possibility, each vehicle a testament to a man who transformed obstacles into pathways. His legacy, a chorus of empowered lives, would echo far beyond the streets of Kolathur.
(Edited by Dinesh Jefferson E)