Jaipur Foot: Exports of a different kind

Bidhu Bhushan Palo | The Dollar Business

BMVSS provides over 16,000 prosthetic fittings per year (Pic. source BMVSS)

  A minor knee injury few months ago woke me up to the harsh reality that millions of people across the world live in everyday. All of a sudden, there were limitations on several things such as travelling (in everything from buses to planes), using public toilets, going to temples, working late, shopping, eating out, or watching a movie. What was more daunting was the meticulous planning that was required for several other important chores such as a visit to the hospital. It was depressing for me and probably the same things crossed the mind of Devendra Raj Mehta (D.R. Mehta) when he landed in a hospital in 1975 after a life-threatening road accident that crushed one of his legs. Doctors saved his life and limbs, but the incident made D.R. Mehta establish the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) in March 1975. Today, popularly known as the Jaipur Foot organisation, BMVSS has become the world's largest non-profit organisation serving the disabled, with a focus on the poor.

Padma Bhushan Devendra Raj Mehta, Founder and Chief Patron BMVSS, retired Indian Administrative Service officer

In 1975, BMVSS distributed 59 artificial limbs, and the number has now grown to around 16,000 today. According to Padma Bhushan D.R. Mehta, BMVSS has already has rehabilitated more than 1.3 million amputees and polio patients both in India and other countries with the help of its artificial limbs (Jaipur Foot variations) and other appliances. While a metallic limb or a titanium foot could cost tens of thousands of dollars, a Jaipur Foot fitment is provided for around $20, thanks to use of innovative materials, some government support and funds from philanthropists and charity organisations. In an era where goodwill exports and soft power are taking precedence over the blunt force of the past, success stories of BMVSS are plenty and show that Indian organisations can play a key role in positioning the country as a leader in the 21st century. Export incentives and medical body approvals are difficult as there are no real buyers or sellers, but the “Jaipur Foot” is well known across Asia, Africa and in South America. It is acknowledged as the most widely used limb in the world, but the USFDA has yet to approve it. Headquartered in Jaipur, India, BMVSS today has around 22 branches in India, and presence in Pakistan, Philippines, and Colombia. BMVSS began exports of the limbs around 20 years ago, and the Jaipur Foot got popular immediately. “The artificial limbs of Jaipur Foot variety were accepted in several countries, and repeated camps were held,” D.R. Mehta told The Dollar Business.

Source - BMVSS

  So far, the organisation has conducted at least 50 fitment camps in 26 countries across the world. However, the need for Jaipur Foot is growing and government help is needed to reach more people, particularly in Asia and Africa, says BMVSS. “The Government of India has helped us hold some foreign camps, but most of the other camps were sponsored by local philanthropists or governments,” D.R. Mehta told The Dollar Business. The future? In BMVSS own words, work knows no frontiers. With the help of Stanford University, BMVSS has developed artificial hands now and is planning to help disabled animals as well.      

This article was published on December 3, 2014.