Shalini Kumari

#stupidstories

Shalini Kumari, a girl from Patna, Bihar. She loves her grandfather. Her grandfather loves to visit the rooftop garden everyday. He met with an accident in 2011. After that he couldn’t see the garden anymore. Because even with the Walker support, he couldn’t climb the steps. A well-known drawback of common walker. Shalini couldn’t see her grandfather in this state. She wanted to help him. Thus inventing the adjustable walker. A walker with innovative self-locking mechanism in the front section. She wasn’t an engineering student nor had any exposure to such technology before. Her urge to help grandfather led to this need of the hour innovation.

Adjustable walker is first of its kind in market. Shalini wanted to help and coined the idea. She shared it with a friend who won an award at IGNITE in 2009. As per his suggestion, shalini drafted the idea and submitted for IGNITE event in 2011. Her idea was shortlisted among the 4000 applicants. it was a heartwarming news. National Innovation Foundation (NIF) decided to make this concept into reality. Few more versions were made and finalized. Another external agency was also roped in to make alternative concept. Both were tested for various aspects. They also filed a patent in Shalini’s name. Once the prototype was made, the news spread among the public. She received the National Innovation Award in engineering section from Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam sir. It was an unforgettable moment for Shalini.

She was the happiest person to see her idea was made into reality. NIF decided to make 10000 walkers for commercial usage. The adjustable walker costs around 3000. It can bear upto 100kg weight. A foldable seat also fixed for the user to take rest. It is lightweight, stable, and suitable for all type of stairs. It can also be used in inclined surfaces. She had the opportunity to showcase her invention to various locations. A Rehabilitation centre expressed interest in buying the adjustable walker. They also decided to lend financial support for Shalini. She wanted to keep that money for her future educational expenses. She believed it could reduce her parents burden.

Engineering is not even her field of interest. She invented the adjustable walker out of pure motivation for her grandfather. She is very happy about the device, since it can help physically challenged people a lot. She aspires to become a doctor, so that elder people like her grandfather should not suffer from illness. Shalini kumari has two brothers and she loves to play cricket with them. She also loves to play badminton. Her parents and school staffs gave full support for her to try different things. She participated in various creative competitions in her school.

She is an inspiration for students who love to make a difference in other’s life. An aspiring doctor who invented an adjustable le walker is the best motivation that you can get ever. The actions came out of pure love and urge to help her grandfather. Anything is possible if you put the heart and soul in what you do. Do what you love!