Staff Correspondent
Four disabled Jawans at the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Center (PRC), Khadki in Pune received specialized wheelchairs through a monetary donation made by the Fauji Foundation of India (FFI) last week. The chairs manufactured by the Germany-based Ottobock company, were procured by the PRC Khadki after the Foundation had donated Rs. 1.92 lakh, as a part of its mandate to help disabled Veterans and military dependents.
The chairs were handed over to the Veterans, ex-Swr BN Kamble (7241258N, Remount & Veterinary Corps), ex-Naik Prakash L. (7780721H, Corps of Military Police), ex-Naik Jayaram G. Nair (15426442W, Army Medical Corps) and ex-Swr Prem Kumar Ale (7243486P, Remount & Veterinary Corps). All the above mentioned beneficiaries had sustained spinal cord injuries in road traffic accidents in the line of duty, leaving them 100% disabled in a paraplegic state.
FFI CEO, Veteran Capt Prasoon Kumar Srivastava and PRC, Khadki Medical Director Dr (Col) R. Mukherjee were present at the handing over ceremony. Capt Srivastava exhorted the Veterans to not lose hope in times of adversity and congratulated the professionalism and commitment of the team at PRC in looking after this vulnerable group.
One of the Ottobock wheelchairs that was procured with the monetary donation
The FFI is the first such organization to work amongst disabled Veterans and military dependents in a non-governmental realm. It is headed by an illustrious team of decorated military Veterans, with former IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik and Wg Cdr Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian astronaut as it’s Patrons; former 15 Corps Commander Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain as its Mentor, followed by renowned strategic affairs expert Maj Maroof Raza and combat amputee and India’s first blade runner Maj DP Singh as its Advisors.
The PRC, Khadki was established in 1974 for providing physical, psychological and financial rehabilitation to 100% disabled paraplegic and quadriplegic Ex-Servicemen (ESM) of the three Armed Forces, who sustain spinal cord injuries in the line of duty. It is a charitable trust registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act of 1860, and managed by a committee, where the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command is it’s Chief Patron. This center is the largest of it’s kind in India and one of the largest in South East Asia, earning worldwide recognition for it’s standards. It can accommodate 117 residents (83 single and 34 married), of which 91 are presently under it’s care.