IIT Madras Hands Over 24 YD One Wheelchairs to Artificial Limb Centre and Command Hospital Pune
IIT Madras handed over 24 made-in-India YD One active wheelchairs to the Artificial Limb Centre and Command Hospital in Pune for armed forces rehabilitation.
Photo: Erik (HASH) Hersman / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 30th October 2026: Twenty-four lightweight, made-in-India wheelchairs have been handed over to the Artificial Limb Centre (ALC) and the Command Hospital (Southern Command) in Pune. The YD One active wheelchairs were developed at IIT Madras and given under a programme to deliver 100 such chairs to the Armed Forces.
The handover took place in Pune on October 16. With this batch, 49 wheelchairs have been delivered so far. The first 25 went to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) in New Delhi in June.
What makes YD One different
The YD One is an ultra-light active manual wheelchair. Unlike the heavy hospital chairs many people know, an active chair is built so that users can push themselves around without needing an attendant.
It was developed at IIT Madras’s TTK Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), with input from wheelchair users, and is made by Thryv Mobility, a company incubated at IIT Madras. The developers say it has gone through fatigue and durability testing in line with ISO 7176 protocols. The programme is funded by fintech company Fiserv through its CSR work.
Who was there
Surgeon Vice Admiral Dilip Raghavan, Director General of Health Services (Armed Forces), attended the ceremony with senior officers of Southern Command, ALC and Command Hospital.
ALC Commandant Brigadier CN Satish said a wheelchair is much more than a mobility aid and is a means to freedom, independence, dignity and inclusion. Prof Sujatha Srinivasan, who heads the TTK Centre at IIT Madras, said the right device along with proper training can make a real difference to a person’s independence.
About the Artificial Limb Centre
ALC Pune, set up on May 19, 1944, is a tri-services institution of the Armed Forces Medical Services. It specialises in prosthetics and rehabilitation for serving personnel, veterans, their families and civilians. The new wheelchairs will be used for serving personnel, ex-servicemen and other eligible patients.
Pune has long been a centre for military medicine, with Command Hospital and the Armed Forces Medical College close by in Wanowrie. Read more health news and Pune news.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many wheelchairs did IIT Madras give to ALC Pune?
IIT Madras handed over 24 YD One wheelchairs to the Artificial Limb Centre and Command Hospital (Southern Command), Pune.
What is the YD One wheelchair?
It is an ultra-light active manual wheelchair developed at IIT Madras and made by Thryv Mobility, designed so users can propel themselves.
Who can be treated at the Artificial Limb Centre Pune?
ALC serves serving personnel, ex-servicemen, their families and civilians for prosthetic care and rehabilitation.
