Head
Dr. Sujatha Srinivasan
Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
IIT Madras
✆ +91-44-2257 5695/4728
email: sujsree@iitm.ac.in
PhD, Mechanical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 2007
MS, Mechanical Engineering, The University of Toledo, 1994
B.Tech, Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras,
Sujatha Srinivasan is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and heads the TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) and the National Center for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT) at IIT Madras. Her research focuses on applying mechanism design and movement biomechanics to develop functional and affordable assistive technologies (AT) and rehabilitation devices for people with movement disabilities.
Prof. Sujatha has over 30 years of experience in her field, including several years in the US industry. She is a 1992 alumna of IIT Madras and joined its faculty in 2008. She is also co-founder of NeoMotion and Thryv Mobility, startups on assistive devices incubated at IIT Madras. In her free time, she likes tailoring, going for walks, and spending time with her family.
Associated Faculty
Dr. Manish Anand
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras
Dr. Sivakumar Balasubramanian
Professor, Department of Bioengineering, CMC Vellore
Dr. Sourav Rakshit
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras
Dr. Sundararajan Natarajan
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras
Leadership Team
Justin Vijay Jesudas
Head of operations/Centre Manager, R2D2
Head of operations/Centre Manager, R2D2
Justin Jesudas joins us with over two decades of corporate experience in research and analytics across banking and engineering services industries with companies like UBS, RR Donnelley, and Cognizant. Justin heads the operations and outreach activities of R2D2, apart from guiding the team on user perspectives, prototype refining, and device commercialization.
With 11 years of lived experience as a tetraplegic (paralyzed neck downwards), working in the assistive technologies space was a natural calling for Justin.
He is an international swimming champion and has represented India at the World Swimming Championship and Para-Asian Games. He enjoys long drives in his modified hand-operated car, beach surfing, and SCUBA diving.
Contact: justin@r2d2.iitm.ac.in
✆ +91-44-2257 5695
Samson Daniel
Head of operations/Centre Manager, NCAHT
Head of operations/Centre Manager, NCAHT
Samson has been an occupational therapist by education and a former tutor and clinical occupational therapist at the Rehabilitation Institute, CMC Vellore, for eight years. At R2D2, Samson oversees the partner dissemination program for Arise Standing Wheelchair and research for TouchFREEDOM, among other projects. He has developed wheelchair cushions, which are now part of IIT Madras, and incubated NeoMotion’s product portfolio.
His upbringing in a service-minded family, interest in DIY projects, and passion for restoring the hand functions of persons with such a need pushed him to a space many therapists overlook - assistive technologies.
He lives in Chennai with his parents and sister. He loves photography, cooking, and long rides on his motorcycle.
Contact: r2d2clinicalteam@gmail.com
Post-doctoral Researchers
Dr. Ann David
Ann David is a postdoctoral researcher. She completed her Ph.D. in Biomedical Devices and Technology through the joint Ph.D. programme conducted by IIT Madras, CMC Vellore and SCTIMST Trivandrum. Her Ph.D. thesis was on understanding the asymmetry in arm use among stroke patients with one-side weakness. She completed her master's in bioengineering from CMC Vellore and bachelor's in electronics and communication engineering from Govt. Model Engineering College, Kerala.
Having worked closely with patients and clinicians for the past ten years, her research interests are in developing affordable and easy-to-use technological solutions. She also has an interest in computational neurorehabilitation. She enjoys exploring new places and music.
Dr. Aravind Nehrujee
Aravind is a PhD scholar in a joint program between IIT Madras and CMC Vellore; his research is focused on developing a robot for assessing and training hand functions. He did his undergrad in Mechanical Engineering from VIT University Vellore and his Masters in Bioengineering from CMC Vellore. His research interests include rehabilitation engineering, serious games, and neuromechanics.
Being a high school basketball player undergoing multiple ACL reconstruction surgeries has pushed him towards rehabilitation engineering. His personal experiences and professional experiences of working with patients motivate him to develop accessible and affordable tools for rehabilitation. Aravind enjoys his weekend bicycle rides and spends his free time reading non-fiction books and rock tumbling.
Dr. Ritwika Choudhuri
Ritwika Choudhuri is an IIT Madras - CMC Vellore joint postdoctoral fellow. She completed her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from IIT Bombay. She received her B.Tech. Degree in Instrumentation and Control Engineering and M.Tech. Degree in Applied Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from West Bengal University of Technology. Before starting to pursue Ph.D., she worked as a faculty for 1.5 years in the Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering of the National Institute of Science and Technology, Orissa. Her Ph.D. thesis was focused on understanding the neural drive underlying dynamic postural control mechanisms in humans. Her current research interests lie in movement neuroscience and rehabilitation technology.
She loves to do trekking and camping in her leisure time.
Dr. Sanjay Singh
Sanjay Singh is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), IIT Madras. He completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Punjab, focusing on Computational Modeling of Bone Adaptation.
He has done his M tech from the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand. His PhD focuses on developing a computational model that simultaneously predicts Mineral Apposition Rates (MAR) at both the periosteal and endocortical surfaces. Specifically, he addresses the following questions:
Is fluid flow in lacunae canalicular porosity sufficient to estimate new bone formation at both cortical surfaces?
If not, what other stimulus, individually or in conjugation with fluid flow, may be necessary to accurately calculate MAR at both cortical surfaces?
Engineering Team
Rajesh Kumar
Rajesh Kumar is a senior fabrication and assembly Technician, educated at the Industrial Training Institute. Besides, he holds a bachelor’s degree in arts.
Rajesh started working on the Gait trainer and Standing wheelchair, then worked on NeoFly, NeoBolt, Saathi Walker, Beach Wheelchair, TCM, Walkchair, and Body Movement Wheelchair. Rajesh is an expert in identifying fabrication possibilities and enhancements that help the research team during the design process. His keen interest in the area led him to learn Solidworks and Master Cam.
He loves to play cricket, volleyball, and football, and he is very interested in trekking and sea swimming.
Dheeraj K Panicker
Dheeraj K Panicker completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Production Engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, Kerala.
At college, he organized a social fest, Trika '20, the first of its kind in Kerala. As part of his college design project, he designed a portable ramp facility that allowed people with disabilities to access beaches and experience the waves. He is a mechanical design engineer working on Saathi WalkChair, Transfer board, and Stair Climbing devices.
He is a massive fan of O. V. Vijayan and Gabriel García Márquez because of the magical realism in their books, loves to watch and play football, and is also interested in cricket.
Seethapathi P
Seethapathi is a Senior Technician at R2D2 and holds a diploma in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked on projects such as Arise Standing Wheelchair, NeoFly, NeoBolt, and EZ-LOK orthotic knee. He has been involved in the assembly and associated works of Prosthetic knee and Hip simulators. He voluntarily trained in Mastercam and has taken responsibility for manufacturing prosthetic knee prototypes at R2D2.
With over a decade of experience, he has accumulated a wealth of knowledge that makes him more productive, easily takes on challenges, and achieves the required output. He is interested in developing educational games for school children. He likes to play cricket and listen to music.
Aghil Prakash M
Aghil, a graduate in engineering from Calicut University, discovered his innate passion for invention when he developed a patentable book-binding machine as part of his academic pursuits. Over more than five years, Aghil has honed his expertise in these fields through diverse roles in various organizations. Seeking to augment his skills, Aghil pursued additional training in mechanical product design at the CADD Centre and completed a Post Graduate Certificate Course in Professional development (PGCCPD) from the prestigious CREST-IIMK institute.
He avidly consumes literature and educative YouTube infographics and keeps abreast of geopolitics and current affairs.
Satish Balaraman
Sathish completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology, Vellore, and then pursued a master's program in bioengineering at Christian Medical College, Vellore. As part of his master's thesis, he worked on a Plug and Train Robot for hand rehabilitation (PLUTO). He is now a project associate in R2D2, IITM, on the same project. He works on mechanical design and inventory management for the commercialization of PLUTO. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies and sports.
Ashish Jebin
Ashish holds a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from VTU, Bangalore, and a Master's in Design Engineering from BITS Pilani.
He has always been interested in concept ideation, generating manufacturable designs, and making prototypes. He is passionate about biomimicry and has created prototypes of a lower limb exoskeleton and several automated prosthetic arms. With four years of experience working in kitchen automation and rehabilitation devices, he has led multiple projects from initial ideation to complete production as a design engineer.
He enjoys music, watching movies, traveling, and working on DIY projects in his free time.
Likhitha S Das
Likhitha completed her B. Tech in Mechanical Engineering (Production) from T. K. M. College of Engineering, Kollam. She worked at Infosys Limited as a system engineer. She coordinated many sociocultural events in the college, which helped her to improve her leadership skills. While studying at T K M, she participated in the 2019 National Electric Kart Championship, qualifying for all safety rounds on her first attempt.
She joined R2D2 as a design engineer researching and developing affordable prosthetic foot and looking for research in energy-storing foot development. She is curious to learn new things, experience new cultures, and meet new people.
Anisha A
Anisha completed her Electrical and Electronics Engineering bachelor's degree at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Chennai.
She worked with a startup where she designed two medical device products on the market. She is a passionate embedded engineer who designs products based on architectural ideas.
Currently, she is working on wheelchair mobility solutions.
She is a person who loves fraternizing and strongly believes in teamwork. Besides work, she enjoys watching series and traveling.
Manavalan
Manavalan completed his bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Jeppiaar SRR Engineering College, Chennai. After that, he worked as a maintenance trainee in Sri Ramalinga Mills, Aruppukottai, for a year. He worked in the Maintenance & Store Department at Kusauto PVT Ltd Chennai for a few months.
Manavalan Joined the R2D2 lab in June 2022 as a Project Associate. He Worked on an Electroporation Project (Electric Circuit code & designing). Currently, he's Working on the design and development of a portable weighing Scale for bed-ridden patients.
In his free time, he plays Cricket, watches sports and movies, and loves to travel.
Naveen Krishna
Naveen is an automotive engineer by education with a Bachelor's degree In Automobile Engineering from Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai, and a master's degree in the same from Birmingham City University. He has joined Thryv as the product development and manufacturing lead. Naveen, before this, has worked R&D in various domains ranging from core automotive OEMs to healthcare to bespoke motorcycle development.
His primary experience is in manufacturable design and development, with a keen interest in simple solutions and clean engineering practices. Naveen has helped develop several product and technology patents in automotive engineering, healthcare, and production automation. He specializes in the productization and monetization of intellectual property.
He is an avid animal lover, specifically dogs. He is a vocal advocate for native breeds and bringing back the breeds lost to obscurity. He is a biker, a tinkerer, a PC enthusiast, a huge proponent of DIY, and a gamer.
Praveen Kumar
Praveen Kumar completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical engineering from Global Institute of Engineering & Technology, Vellore, post which he worked 3yrs of R&D and Service Engineer for Indian railway, and also metro rail track inspection in S.V.A. Rikkon Lubes Pvt. Ltd. And then in the lubrication field as a Service Engineer in Auto Lubricators (SKF LINCOLN).
Praveen joined the R2D2 Project Associate in Plug and Train Robot for Hand Rehabilitation (PLUTO) IITM. He works on mechanical design and all the 3D printing machines that handle, fabricate, and assemble parts of PLUTO. Then, he interacts with users and patients for Clinical Trials, medical professionals, hospitals, and rehab centers. He plays shuttle and cricket in his free time and enjoys watching movies and sports.
Dharmesh Joshi
Dharmesh is a mechanical engineering graduate from V. V. P. Engineering College, Gujarat. He is interested in biomechanics and the development of prosthetics.
He has more than eight years of experience in design and manufacturing and more than three years of experience in linear, non-linear, static and dynamic analysis.
Currently working as a project associate at R2D2 lab for research and development of affordable prosthetic foot and looking for research in energy-storing foot development.
He is also interested in travelling and exploring ancient sites and temples of India and different cultural activities in India.
Arjun Saxena K S
Arjun Saxena K S is a Mechanical design engineer who graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. During his Mtech program, he worked under Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan's guidance. He is actively engaged in a project related to the design and analysis of a Rotary Vane Magneto-Rheological (MR) Damper for a prosthetic ankle. This project implies the application of mechanical design principles to address real-world challenges, particularly in the healthcare field.
Beyond his academic commitments, he is greatly interested in sports, especially Cricket and Badminton. He is a creative individual who enjoys pencil drawing.
Prajith Raj R
Prajith Raj R is a dedicated FEA Engineer at the R2D2 Lab, where he actively contributes to innovative mobility solutions, including developing a Prosthetic Foot and other mobility projects. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Adi Shankara Institute of Engineering and Technology, Kerala.
Before joining R2D2, he gained valuable experience designing and developing battery packs for electric vehicles. He also published in the academic field, with a journal paper on his final-year college project titled, "Design and Analysis of a Solar Dryer with a Parabolic-Shaped Dish-Type Collector for Drying Peanuts," featured in IOPScience.
Thiagu S
He completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Government College of Engineering – Tirunelveli.
Thiagu joined the AREBO team as a project associate in June 2022. He handles mechanical design, fabrication, and 3D printing of rehabilitation robots.
He likes to explore music and meditates during his free time.
V Kabilan
V Kabilan earned a Bachelor's in Medical Electronics Engineering from Saveetha Engineering College in Chennai. His professional journey commenced with a two-month internship at SMCH. After He joined an internship at CMC, he had the privilege of working under the guidance of Dr. Sivakumar Balasubrmanian. Following this enriching experience, he joined R2D2 as a Trainee. Currently, He is actively engaged in the design and development of rehabilitation and assistive devices, contributing significantly to the advancement of this field.
Dilip Vijay Ram A
Dilip Vijay Ram earned his bachelor's degree in Mechatronics Engineering from Kongu Engineering College, Erode.
During his academic tenure, he showed a keen interest in product design engineering, fluid power system design, and robot system integration. He successfully executed two projects in industrial automation: A smart IoT solution for inland aquaculture and an automated coconut shell charcoal powder maker using PLC. Moreover, he holds several industry certifications in SolidWorks, including CSWA - Mechanical Design, Electrical, 3D Symer, Additive Manufacturing, and FANUC - Robot Operation and Programming.
In addition, he has registered a design under Indian IP, focusing on mobility. He enjoys watching space exploration and deep-tech movies and loves to cook.
Sugumaran P
Sugumaran is a skilled machinist who has completed ITI Machinist from MINT ITI North Chennai. He has worked as a Trainee at Wabco Pvt Ltd in the air brakes assembly section and at the Central Skill Training and Fabrication Facility, IIT Madras, where he gained valuable experience in critical machining processes through various research projects.
Since September 2023, he has been working as a machinist at R2D2, where he applies his expertise and creativity to develop smart ways of machining. In his spare time, he enjoys playing cricket and volleyball.
Sridhar K
Sridhar K, a 2018 Mechanical Engineering graduate from Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology, gained diverse experience. At Best Fab Technical Services, he supervised production systems, coordinated design and production stages, and managed a team. At VBK Fibreo Tech Industries, he designed products, managed the design-to-production process, and addressed customer feedback.
As a product development engineer for the PLUTO project, he focuses on new product development. Outside work, he enjoys reading history books and listening to music.
Kishore M
Kishore is a proficient machinist, holding a diploma in Tool & Die making (Jigs and Fixtures) from Guindy ITI Chennai. Previously, he honed his skills at Wabco Pvt Ltd as a maintenance technician and later at the Central Skill Training and Fabrication Facility, IIT Madras, as a Trainee, where he actively participated in diverse research projects, gaining invaluable experience in intricate machining processes.
Since November 2023, Kishore has been a pivotal part of R2D2 as a fabrication and machinist, where he channels his expertise and ingenuity to pioneer innovative fabrication techniques. His unwavering passion for his craft is evident in his relentless pursuit of mastering new methodologies. In his spare time, Kishore finds solace in the simple pleasures of drawing and immersing himself in literature through reading books.
Sujith Christopher
Sujith, an engineer, began his journey with our laboratory as a project associate. He holds a graduate degree and an MS in bioengineering, jointly awarded by CMC Vellore and SCTIMST. His undergraduate education was in Electronics and Communication Engineering at Karunya University, Coimbatore. During his tenure at the Department of Radiation Oncology at CMC Vellore as a Research Fellow, he contributed to teaching Basic Electronics and MATLAB programming to BSLAP and M.Sc. medical physics students.
As part of his MS thesis, he developed the Instrumented Arm-Skateboard (ARMBO), designed for upper-limb assessment and rehabilitation. He is passionate about teaching programming languages and enjoys playing the guitar in his free time.
Adithya Narayanan
Adithya Venkata Narayanan is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy.
His interest lies in mechatronics, and has worked on several interdisciplinary projects. He is interested in assistive technology, tools that help the learner and explorer community, and believes one’s work should benefit lives.
His hobbies include reading manga, manhwa, exercising, listening to music, watching movies, and doing origami, among many other things. He aspires to be a polymath.
Mohammed Millath Z
Mohammed Millath, from Karaikudi, is a graduate of Automobile Engineering from the University College of Engineering, Anna University (BIT Campus) in Tiruchirapalli.
He has a strong passion for transforming designs from concept to finished products. With a solid understanding of battery management systems, he completed a project integrating a battery cooling system using phase change materials (PCM), significantly enhancing charging and discharging efficiency. His innovative approach improved performance and contributed to the battery's longevity.
Outside of academics, he plays for the Sivagangai district basketball team and is strongly interested in playing cricket and football.
R Charan Bhardhwaj
R Charan Bhardhwaj is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy.
He has a keen interest in robotics and, during his college days, was the head of the Robotics Club. His expertise in working with the Robotics Operating System allowed him to execute grasp planning strategies in simulation and perform sim2real on a RobotIQ gripper mounted on a UR5e serial manipulator.
His hobbies include playing chess and flute. He is an audiophile and enjoys reading non-fiction books.
Ezhilarasan S
Ezhilarasan holds a Master’s in Computer Applications (MCA) from Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology. Following graduation, he began his career as an intern with CMC, contributing to a project on gamification software for an arm rehabilitation device under the guidance of Dr. Sivakumar Balasubramanian. This experience helped refine his software development skills, particularly in healthcare technology. Currently, he works with the R2D2 team, focusing on 3D visualization software for force plates.
Technically, he is skilled in Android app development, web development, and multiple programming languages. Outside work, he has a passion for travel and enjoys discovering new places.
Manivasagam M
Manivasagam is a Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology graduate, where he completed his Master’s degree in Computer Applications (MCA). During the final semester of college, he joined CMC as an intern for six months, working under the supervision of Dr. Sivakumar Balasubramanian. In this role, he developed an Android application focused on capturing IMU sensor data for movement analysis. This experience sharpened his software development skills and deepened his understanding of healthcare technology.
He is working with the R2D2 team, contributing to developing gamification software using Unity Engine.
Hamras Wasith K
Hamras Wasith K, from Malappuram, is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Government Engineering College, Kozhikode. He has an innovative passion for identifying problems and generating solutions. During his B. Tech program, his group designed and fabricated a “Biodegradable Acoustic Metamaterial Beam splitter.”
Later, he joined the TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras as a mechanical engineer.
Outside his professional life, he enjoys football, movies, anime, and reading.
Abhishek S
Abhishek graduated from Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering. He joined R2D2 as a Project Associate and actively engaged in groundbreaking projects, including AREBO and MARS. He specializes in electronic circuit testing and 3D CAD modeling in these projects.
Outside of his professional life, Abhishek is an ardent music lover, frequently seeking solace and inspiration through the beauty of melodies. He is also a passionate traveler, constantly looking for opportunities to explore new destinations and cultures, adding depth to his life experiences.
Clinical, Research & NCAHT Team
Kritika Jain
Kritika is a Physiotherapy alumnus from Christian Medical College, Vellore, and the School of Allied Health Sciences (MAHE), Manipal. She is a postgraduate in Neurosciences Physiotherapy and has more than four years of experience treating patients with neuromotor disorders with a specific focus on spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
She is currently a part of the Touch REHAB project under R2D2 as a Content Leader and leads a subsidiary project, Touch FREEDOM. Both projects are user-oriented and aim at disseminating evidence-based information about the best affordable practices to live well with spinal cord injury. The projects also focus on delivering rehabilitation-related guidance to users with spinal cord injuries in remote locations to enable them to lead independent lives.
In her free time, she loves to read and has a newfound love for gardening.
Ida Hephzibah
Ida, a dedicated Occupational Therapist, is an alumna of Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore. She specializes in Pediatrics, earning her Master's in Occupational Therapy from Kovai Medical College and Hospital (KMCH), Coimbatore. Her primary area of expertise lies in Community-Based Rehabilitation, where she has taken on challenging roles in rural villages of North East India as a Project Officer for a mission hospital - Baptist Christian Hospital, Tezpur. Furthermore, she has valuable experience caring for children with neurodevelopmental disorders at Neolife Children's Hospital, Chennai. Currently working as Project Associate - Occupational Therapist at TTK Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development, IIT Madras.
Outside of her professional life, Ida finds joy in painting and quality time with friends and family.
Anushka Nanoo
Anushka is a physiotherapy postgraduate specialising in neurology. She completed her bachelor's from Manipal College of Health Professions and her master's from Amity Institute of Health Allied Sciences. She has received certifications from the American Academy of Electrodiagnosis, IIT Madras, the World Federation of Neurorehabilitation, and WHO. Her time working all over India in different hospital settings has given her an in-depth understanding of the needs of a diverse group of patients.
She is a Clinical Research Associate at R2D2 IIT Madras. Aside from work, she enjoys singing, sketching, cooking, and reading. She also enjoys travelling and learning about different cultures.
Poornachandran G
Poornachandran is a Peer Trainer for persons with spinal cord injury with more than two years of experience, earlier with The Ganga Foundation and currently with TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development at IIT Madras. He completed his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Sathyabhama University, Chennai. He has immense experience working as a trainer and coordinator for Touch Freedom - a virtual rehabilitation resource for persons with a spinal cord injury. He is also a Wheelchair Marathoner, Wheelchair Basketball player and won a Silver medal during the Tamil Nadu Para Powerlifting Championship 2018.
Lakshmanan
Lakshmanan has been a Peer Trainer for persons with spinal cord injuries since 2015. He has completed his B.Com at Sathyabama University. His contributions to the sport have been exemplary, representing Tamil Nadu with pride in four national games, clinching two silver and one bronze. His appearances in international tournaments, notably the under-23 event in Thailand in 2017 and India's historic tournament in Noida, Delhi, in 2022, where he secured a silver medal, reflecting his stellar performance on a global platform.
These achievements, underscored by his commitment to excellence, were further recognized when Lakshmanan was honored with the Tamil Nadu Governor's Award in 2021.
Jennifer
Jennifer is a Peer Trainer for persons with spinal cord injuries. Jennifer completed her Bachelor of Science from Queen Mary's College, Chennai. She works at the TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras.
In addition to her role as a trainer, Jennifer is an accomplished wheelchair marathoner, wheelchair basketball player, and yoga practitioner. Before her current position, she gained five years of experience as a school physical education teacher.
Viji
Viji is a peer trainer for persons with spinal cord injuries. Viji completed her information technology (DIT) diploma at Karaikal Polytechnic College. She works at the TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras. In addition to her role as a trainer, Viji is a wheelchair badminton player and a wheelchair marathoner.
Kalpana Suresh
Kalpana Suresh is a physiotherapist who specialises in neurorehabilitation. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Manipal College of Health Professions and a Master’s from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Her professional experience includes working as a physiotherapist with the Parkinson’s Society of India and providing care at various elderly homes in Mumbai.
She is currently a Clinical Research Associate at R2D2 IIT Madras. Outside of work, she is passionate about attending dance workshops, engaging in cultural activities, and hosting events. She also enjoys meeting new people, traveling, and discovering diverse cuisines.
Operations Team
Ganga Saravanan
Ganga Saravanan completed DECE at Sri Balaji Polytechnic College and graduated BE-ECE from Prince Shri Venkateswara Padmavathi Engineering College. She has of experience 10+years, worked in various organizations as an HR and Admin Consultant. Currently, working as a Senior Executive at IIT Madras for the past five years. She joined R2D2 in September 2022 to take care of administrative activities.
Ganga is married and has two daughters. She likes listening to music, is fond of traveling with friends & family, and likes to play games.
PhD Scholars
Preethi Srinivasan
Preethi is pursuing her PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Madras. Before that, she worked full-time at Moviebuff.com as a content writer for nearly seven years.
She is the founder of Soulfree, a public charitable trust working to improve the quality of life of persons living with spinal cord injury in India, with a special focus on women and those living below the poverty line. Currently, she is working to set up an Integrated Spinal Rehabilitation center called INSPIRE in a 20,000 ft² facility at Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. As a person who has spent more than two decades in a body that is paralyzed below the neck, she has an experiential understanding of the vital importance of assistive devices in enabling persons with impairments and empowering us by giving us access to improved quality of life and independence.
Preethi leads a simple spiritual life at Thiruvannamalai with her mother. She loves nature, music, sports and food, but most of all, the bliss of just being fully alive in the present moment.
Sachin Kumar
Sachin Kumar is a research scholar at IIT Madras with interests in biomechanics, smart material and vibration isolation.
An alumnus of the National Institute of Technology Agartala and Indian Institute of Technology Madras, he did course work along with a project titled Design and development of MR damper for prosthetic knee application, under the guidance of Prof. Sujatha C and with the help of Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan. He works in characterisation, mathematical modelling and designing optimised MR dampers for ankle application.
Apart from being a researcher, he loves cricket, chess and pets.
Neelakshi Ganguly
Neelakshi is a PhD scholar who joined R2D2 Laboratory through the Three Institute PhD program of IIT Madras in July 2022. Along with our lab, she is collaborating with the Neurorehabilitation lab of Christian Medical College, Vellore.
She graduated in Electrical Engineering. Her keen interest in biomedical and assistive technology led her to a master's in biomedical engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Then, she dived into brain-computer interface for her thesis work. To nurture her interest, she also joined as an intern at the Institute of Neuroscience, Kolkata (IN-K).
Neelakshi likes to read thrillers. She is passionate about Indian Classical dance forms, especially Bharatnatyam, and never leaves an opportunity to cultivate and explore it.
Prem Kumar
He began his journey at IIT Madras as an M.Tech student and is currently a PhD scholar. His interest in robotics and the challenges in physical human-robot interaction drove him to work in the assistive technologies space. He did his graduation in Mechanical Engineering at the Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli.
He is currently working on an Arm Rehabilitation Robot (AREBO). The robot focuses on rehabilitating the shoulder joint with intensive game therapy. His research interests include biomechanics and physical Human-Robot Interaction(pHRI).
Prem is an avid reader of storybooks and enjoys travelling.
MS/MTech Scholars
Mittappally Sandeep Reddy
Sandeep is a mechanical engineer who graduated from Vardhaman College of Engineering, Hyderabad. Then worked as a JRF in DRDO-TBRL, Chandigarh.
Currently, he is doing MS Research at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras under the guidance of Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan. He is presently working on Transfer and Mobility devices. He chose this area because he is interested in biomechanics, Medical device design and development, and Assistive devices.
He likes to travel, play badminton and listen to music.
Honorary Member
S. Vaidyanathan (Advisor to R2D2 and NeoMotion)
Co-founder of The Ganga Foundation and The Spinal Foundation
30 years of living exceptionally well in a wheelchair and guiding others
Distinguished Alumnus of IIM Bangalore
Team NeoMotion
Alumni
PhD
M Prem Kumar (joint guidance with Prof. Sivakumar Balasubramanian), Arm Rehabilitation Robots for Post-Stroke Therapy, PhD 2024
Sachin Kumar (joint guidance with Prof. C. Sujatha), Design and Development of Smart Powered Prosthetic Ankle using Optimized Magnetorheological Damper, PhD 2024
Aravind Nehrujee (joint guidance with Prof. Sivakumar Balasubramanian), Plug-and-Train Robot (PLUTO) for Hand Rehabilitation: Design, Development and Clinical Validation, PhD 2023
G. Padma Naveena (joint guidance with Prof. Marcus Pandy, UniMelb), Biomechanical Changes at the Knee after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, PhD 2023
S. Sudheesh (joint guidance with Prof. MS Shunmugam), Swing Phase Analysis of Transfemoral Prosthesis Users Walking with Passive Knees, PhD 2021
TM Balaramakrishnan (joint guidance with Prof. Sundararajan Natarajan), A Novel Framework for Design and Analysis of Customised Prosthetic Feet using Non-linear Finite Element Analysis, PhD 2020
N Babu (joint guidance with Prof. S. Narayanan), Kinematic, Dynamic and Stability Study of Track, Leg, and Hybrid Locomotion Robot, PhD 2019
Ganesh Bapat, Development, Analysis And Clinical Evaluation Of Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis With Alternative Knee Joint Designs, PhD 2018
Solomon Seid Kebede, Optimal Design of Magnetorheological Damper for Prosthetic Knee Application (joint guidance with Prof. C. Sujatha, PhD 2017
DS Mohan Varma, Minimal kinematic models for the inverse dynamics analysis of normal and asymmetric gait, PhD 2015
MS
Gunjan Patel (joint guidance with Dr. Rajdeep Ojha and Dr. Judy John, CMC), Development and Clinical Validation of a Portable and Wearable System for Gait Analysis, MS 2019
Sandeep Guguloth, Design and development of robotic mechanisms for upper extremity rehabilitation (joint guidance with Dr. Sivakumar Balasubramanian, CMC Vellore), MS 2018
Nitin Prakash Kamble, Stair Climbing Mechanism for Wheelchair, MS 2016
Kumaraswamy Udugu, Tolerance Analysis in mechanisms (joint guidance with Prof. M. S. Shunmugam), MS 2013
B.Tech
Guhan Narayanan, creating synthetic gait data using a multibody simulator, B.Tech 2021
Subham Swastik Kamal, Cyclic Knee Testing Machine, B.Tech 2020
Akshay Molawade, Design and Spring Balancing of a Manually Operated Pool Lift, B. Tech 2019
Sourya Varenya, Stance Control Knee Ankle Foot Orthoses, B. Tech 2018
Manish Prajapat and Vishwajeet Sikchi, Add-on Device to Assist Stair Climbing of a Wheelchair, B. Tech 2017
Saish Kapadi, Design of an All-Terrain Wheelchair, B. Tech 2014
VVK Harish, Design of a Coconut Tree Climber, B. Tech 2014
Sushant Veer, Spring Balancing of Orthotic and Prosthetic Devices, B. Tech 2013
Girish A, Interactive Technology for Orientation and Mobility training of Blind and Visually Impaired Children, B.Tech 2013
Prashant Poondla, Design of the I-Tilt and Go (i-TAG) device, B.Tech 2012
M.Tech/DD
Arjun Saxena, Optimal design and analysis for rotary vane MR damper for prosthetic ankle, M. Tech 2024
Yash Dhirendra Tote, In-wheel suspension for rigid frame wheelchairs and bicycles, M Tech 2024
Ripunjoy Kalita, Design and simulation of a 4-bar knee with adjustable, passive hydraulic damping, M Tech 2023
Madhav Maheshwari, A portable wheelchair attachment for stair-climbing, DD 2022
Praveen Police Patil, Design of a retrofittable ramp to steps, M.Tech 2022
Vishnu Teja, Software simulations of transfemoral prosthesis, M.Tech 2021
Pranjali Manjrekar, Mobility Device Assisted by Functional Electrical Stimulation, DD 2020
G. Manideep, Biomechanics of Standing Wheelchair, M.Tech 2019
Shoudho Das, Development of a sit-to-stand device, M. Tech 2019 (co-guide Prof. Sourav Rakshit)
Venkat Teja, Development of an exercising device using muscle stimulation, DD 2019
Sanjay Hansdah, Wheelchair Bike, DD 2017
Sripriya Kalidoss, Electromechanically Assisted Gait and Lower Body Exercise Device, DD 2016
Ashish Mohan Sharma, Development of motorized assistive device for people with paraplegia, DD 2016
K Narayan Pai, Development of Clutch Adjustment Device, M.Tech 2016
Harsha Vardhan Reddy, Computer aided optimal synthesis of fixed length and adjustable planar mechanisms, DD 2015
Kaushik Naidu, Transfer device for wheelchair users, M. Tech 2015
TS Anand, Synthesis and Design of Polycentric Knee for Transfemoral Prosthesis, M. Tech 2014
Vivek Sarda, Training and Mobility Device for Children with Cerebral Palsy, DD 2014
Swostik Sourav Dash, Swimming Pool Lift for Physically Challenged, DD 2013
Sumit Pethwadajkar, Design of an Improved Standing Wheelchair (co-guide Prof. Shankar Krishnapillai), DD 2013
M. V. Jairaj, Design of a Low Vision Telescope, DD 2013
P. S. Satyanarayana, Development of a novel mechanically variable valve timing (M-VVT) system to improve volumetric efficiency of small engines (co-guide Prof. A. Ramesh), M. Tech 2013
Harshal Chaudhari, Development of a Standing Wheelchair, DD 2012
Varun Joshi, Software for Mechanism Design, DD 2012
K. Aravind Reddy, Design and Analysis of KAFO with improved stance stability, DD 2011
Banugade Nitin Madhukar, Design of gravity-balancing leg orthosis for gait rehabilitation, M.Tech 2011
Ramu Banoth, Design of polycentric knee mechanism for above-knee amputee, M.Tech 2011
T. Praveen, Standing wheelchair (co-guide Prof. Seshadri Shekar), M. Tech 2011
J. Santi Sagar, Manufacturing improvements for the Jaipur foot, M.Tech 2010
G. Veerababu, Mechanical characterization of the Jaipur foot, M.Tech 2010
Mayank Pareek, Development of an adjustable KAFO, DD 2009
Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Development of a knee mechanism for a KAFO, M.Tech 2009
R Ramaraj, Design, development and performance evaluation of mechanically operated multiplate wet clutch for PTO application (co-guide Prof. M. M. Mayuram), M.Tech 2009