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Suffering from Phocomelia, a disease that hampered the development of her limbs, Payal could not have imagined walking on her feet if it was not for Harpal and TCI foundation. Her family was grieving as they thought she won’t be able to walk ever again. Somehow, they got to know about the center and brought the child there. She was able to return the same day on her feet. In an another case Kamal Kishore, a 26 years old youth from Bihar, met with a road accident last year and lost a leg but TCI foundation gave him a new life with artificial limbs.

He is now more than happy to ride his bike again. In the last eight years, Harpal Singh and Pawan Kumar, who are managing the TCI foundation in Patna, have distributed around 20,000 artificial legs for free to the differently-abled people. Leaving several lucrative offers, Harpal an MBA in HR is happy to work for the foundation which has been changing lives since 2008. In last eight years, the foundation has helped more than 21,460 people ‘stand on their feet’. They have been providing free artificial limbs, polio calipers, crutches, sticks to the needy without taking any money.

There is the lack of awareness about the facility and people who are in need sometimes are not able to reach them. Even after reaching the center most people are still not aware that such a facility is being provided here, they ask if they need to pay something. TCI foundation is a social arm of Transport Corporation of India Ltd, a vision to support the less privileged communities by facilitating health, education, community and sports developmental services. The artificial limbs that are otherwise available for Rs 15,000- Rs 20,000 to the people are being made at the cost of Rs 3,000 at TCI foundation.

There is a lack of awareness about artificial limbs in the state which motivated these two men from Rajasthan to continue their mission and make a difference in the lives of more people. The satisfaction of seeing the smile on the faces of people and the immense respect that they give to Harpal and Pawan after getting a second lease of life is what holds them back in Bihar. A hapless son carried his old father on his back to their centre recently. Both were not sure if the old lad would be able to walk again. But things turned for the better within a day for them.

There have been many girls who have come to us saying that they have become more self-reliant after getting the artificial limbs. Such kind of heartening stories gives them the much-needed motivation to keep going. Not only the medial facility the duo also goes an extra mile to provide help to the patients who come to the TCI Foundation by providing them meals and the accommodation if needed.

They are also providing this facility to people in remote areas of the state by carrying all the required material in a mobile van, and they have also helped 1000 odd people in Nepal. We salute the dedication of the duo Harpal Singh and Pawan Kumar for making chage in people’s life. We hope this information reaches to the masses and more people get benefited from their services.

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