Buddies Pranay and Vikat Verlekar from Quepem and Sanvordem respectively frequently meet at the temple for prayers and something apparently sparked in the skies to give them a noble idea of helping the disabled. Pranay tells us how, he, a software engineer and Vikat, a production manager, (both work for multinationals in the Verna Industrial estate) are passionate about Animal rescue and wildlife in Goa.
“I am 35 and Pranay is 10 years younger to me. Pranay helps at a temple in Verna and I at sanvordem and over prayers and worship we often meet and also volunteered in Animal Rescue organizations. All this while, i felt the need to do something for mankind. It was then that I asked Pranay and a month back, we became a part of the international initiative of ENABLE and have already helped two persons in getting prosthetic hands,” explains Vikat.
While Pranay tells us, “We did all our research and had our first hand ready in just seven days. We make mechanical prosthetic hands. These hands can hold glasses and can be used. We’ve created hands for two individuals in goa. One even custom made wherein the individual had two fingers and we made a hand with three fingers. Our aim is to create electronic hands where even the prosthetic fingers can be controlled. Also our hands are recyclable, so if a hand is used by a 6-year old and we make a new one as the child grows, the 6-year olds can be reused by another child.”
The e-NABLE India Community is an amazing group of individuals from all over the India who are using their 3D printers to create free 3D printed hands and arms for those in need of an upper limb assistive device. Pranay and Vikat also are using their three dimensional printers to do the same and their glad to be a part of the community and have volunteers across cities in India to identify handicapped individuals to create these hands and produce them in Goa.
Vikat and Pranay believe that like global ENABLE citizens who put aside their political, religious, cultural and personal differences – to come together and collaborate on ways to help improve the open source 3D printable designs for hands and arms for those who were born missing fingers or who have lost them due to war, disease or natural disaster.
The e-NABLE Community is made up of teachers, students, engineers, scientists, medical professionals, tinkerers, designers, parents, children, scout troops, artists, philanthropists, dreamers, coders, makers and everyday people who just want to make a difference and helps to “Give the World a Helping Hand.”
Working out of their homes in Sanvordem and Quepem, towns more known for mining, these two Verlekar friends are excited with their research and contribution in just a month.
The boys have a social media page and website to reach out to people in their initiative and recently came out to the media to spread the word and look at adding more numbers.
Pranay tells us how when ENABLE globally had a map, there were volunteers and producers in pakistan but not in India and thats what motivated to add to India’s growth if a small nation like Pakistan can do so much and their proud to be doing something fro Goa itself.
