“Challenges in life can either enrich you or drown you. You are the one who decides.”
Every human being has to face certain destiny-driven challenges in his life. These challenges turn into obstacles and miseries only when we bow to them. This is the strong belief of “The Pride of India” honoured Mr. Vedantam Sadasiva Murty. Even after an accident impacted his physically mobility, nothing could stop him from achieving his goals. He uses his exemplary innovative skills to design user friendly, cost-effective artificial limbs and rehabilitates physically challenged people with a good quality of life.
Mr Sadasiva hails from a small village in Andhra Pradesh called Abbirajupalem. He completed his graduation in Arts and holds a Diploma in Automobile Engineering. Like any common youth, his life was moving smooth with all happiness around until he was 25 years old, when destiny gave a harsh blow to him. In 1981, he was getting down from a train which had just started to move. Unfortunately, he lost his balance and fell down. He had to undergo “below knee bilateral amputation” for both the legs. This unexpected event left him with many questions. Initially, he felt his future to be dark and was searching for avenues to make it meaningful. As he was from a very small village, he had no idea about the availability of artificial limbs In India.
Mr. Sadasiva turns his tragedy into love for the society
The news of availability of artificial limbs in Defence Artificial Limb Center, Pune, was almost like a silver lining in the darkness of his life. Even after getting his artificial limbs from Pune, his life was not that easy, as he could attain only a limited mobility and most of his daily activities were restricted. The limbs were heavy and a prolonged use of these limbs had created intensive abrasions leading to deep wounds. His positive attitude and challenging personality did not allow him to bow down to these difficulties. He started to study anatomy and physiology from various sources with an intention to improvise the usability of artificial limbs. As he was a passionate mechanic, he started experimenting and improvising various aspects of artificial limbs so that they could meet the personalised needs of physically challenged people. He experimented his innovations on himself. After meeting a considerable success in his own life, his next thought was to help others by providing them customised artificial limbs. To meet this end, he met several orthopaedic doctors to gain knowledge. Simultaneously, he carried many social activities in his village, Abbirajupalem. Due to its geographical location, this village was separated from adjacent major towns by a small rivulet. During medical emergencies, it was very difficult to transport people over this water body. He understood the problems of his village and due to his altruistic nature, he took initiative to construct a bridge over this waterbody, build good roads and provide minimum electrical infrastructure in the village. Mr. Sadasiva was born with a silver spoon. Being a philanthropist, he used his financial sources to do good to the society, expecting no gains in return.
Mr. Sadasiva establishes Chaitanya Artificial Limb Centre
He moved to a town called Pallakollu in Andhra Pradesh with the intension of establishing an artificial limb center. Initially, he faced several challenges like difficulty in getting a dealership for raw material from good companies, getting proper machinery etc. He kept looking for alternatives. His grit and family support never allowed him to give up at any step. Finally in 1999, he established “Chaitanya Artificial Limb Center” in Palakollu, helping him realize a long-cherished dream. This was the first rehabilitation center covering two states Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. He collaborated with an orthopaedic surgeon and diabetologist, Dr. C.M. Sarma. Usually, in trauma situations like accidents, patients need remedial amputations, so that the artificial limbs can be fitted properly. These surgeries are conducted by Dr. C.M. Sarma. The good gesture and generosity of Mr Sadasiva is incomparable. He has rehabilitated several poor people at his own cost. After discussing with the patient, if he feels that the person is poor and the sole bread earner of the family, he provides him cost-free prosthetics and also bears the expenditure related to the remedial amputations in some instances.
Exceptional qualities of Mr Sadasiva’s artificial limbs
He uses hi-tech materials imported from companies like Ottobock of Germany, which are light in weight. He personally monitors all the mechanical improvisations so that it adds more life to the limbs. After providing the limbs to the patients, he ensures that the person does not suffer from any kind of abrasions, and discharges the patient only after he is completely satisfied. His ideology is to provide cost-effective treatment to those who can pay, and cost-free treatment to poor people. Ever since he established his own limb center, he has never looked back and successfully rehabilitated almost 8000- 10,000 persons.
Felicitations to Mr. Sadasiva
Mr Sadasiva started his center with a single motto that no one else should suffer like him. His selfless service to the society was recognised and he was honoured with the following awards:
· Gold medal in State Orthopaedic conference held at Warangal in 2001, for “Evolution of cost-effective Hi-tech artificial limbs”
· Gold medal by State Indian Medical Association
· Honoured by Sri Satya Sai Baba, Puttaparthi, for his service to mankind
· Cavin Care Ability National Award for Eminence in 2010
· Conferred with an honorary doctorate by Common Wealth Vocational University, Australia for his contribution to innovation in artificial limbs technology in Feb 2023
· He has been awarded with “Pride of India Award” in 2023
Since his youthful days, he always believed in finding innovative solutions to all sorts of practical problems in his day-to-day life. He never looked for external technical support to repair household appliances. He always had a knack in understanding the mechanics behind any working machine. Perhaps this inborn talent in him has proved to be a blessing for him. After being rehabilitated with the artificial limb from Pune, he surprised many people by riding a Bullet motorbike in his village. A vehicle like Bullet needs to be controlled by the senses in legs, but he proved to people that he can control this vehicle through his determination and immense mind power.
Currently he attends many seminars with doctors where he speaks about solutions that can be offered to limb amputees. He is also a motivational speaker. He visits schools and colleges around his place and interacts with young students and motivates them to put their knowledge to practical applications. He desires to see the younger generation coming up with innovations that can lend a helping hand to the needy in the society. Salutations to this blessed child of India.
An article regarding this hero was published in the March-April 2023 edition of Gyan Vitranam magazine Exerpt
