Global outreach of Jaipur Foot an extension of India's humanitarian intervention: Envoy

The global outreach of Jaipur Foot, a prosthetic limb, is an extension of India's humanitarian intervention, the country's top diplomat to the United States Harsh Vardhan Shringla said Wednesday. At an 'India for Humanity' event at the US Capitol Hill, organised by the Indian Embassy here as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, Shringla said, "The focus today is on the activities of Jaipur Foot in India and in other countries of the world as an extension of the humanitarian intervention of India."

At the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti or BMVSS, the parent body of Jaipur Foot, has been organizing camps in countries across the world to provide artificial limbs to physically challenged people free of cost. "In India's diplomatic narratives, we often speak of important political, strategic and economic initiatives. What is less known is India's extensive diplomatic initiatives in the service of humanity in keeping with our civilizational values of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' – the world is one family," he said.

The international limb fitment camps, which aim at providing for physical, economic and social rehabilitation of the differently-abled around the world by helping them regain their mobility and dignity to become self-respecting and productive members of the society, will be fully sponsored by Ministry of External Affairs, Shringla said. "Under this program, with the sanctions of the Government of India, BMVSS held camps in Vietnam, Iraq, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Tanzania, Egypt, Namibia and Bangladesh, a fitting total of 5152 limbs in these camps," said the Indian Ambassador.

Devendra Raj Mehta, founder and chief patron of Jaipur Foot, said the non-profit body has so far rehabilitated 1.8 million people in India and other parts of the world. So far it has conducted 78 camps in 33 countries.

Through its innovative measures, Jaipur Foot is able to manufacture one artificial limb at USD100, whereas the same in the US is being sold at USD15,000 on an average.

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