Father designs lifelike autorickshaw for daughter ailing with cerebral palsy

Suresh from Chemmattam Vayal in Kanjangad, in Kasaragod district of Kerala, designed and developed a movable model of an auto-rickshaw for his daughter Sneha who suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Though it looks like the original auto-rickshaw in one glance from a distance, it can only be propelled by pedaling, much like a bicycle.

Kasaragod: All parents wish well and work for their children’s happiness. They prioritise their children’s wishes above their own. This father from Kanjangad does anything to ensure that his daughter, who is debilitated by Cerebral Palsy, keeps smiling, always. He designed and made an auto-rickshaw which can move by pedalling.

Suresh from Chemmattam Vayal in Kanjangad, in Kasaragod district of Kerala, designed and developed a movable model of an auto-rickshaw for his daughter Sneha. Though it looks like the original auto-rickshaw in one glance from a distance, it can only be propelled by pedalling, much like a bicycle.

Suresh, who is an auto driver himself, used to take his daughter for a ride every morning in his auto-rickshaw. With the COVID pandemic and the consequent regulations, all those rides had to be stopped. Though COVID lockdown phase has got over, Suresh and family are worried about taking Sneha out for rides in these times of the pandemic. Suresh thought about an alternative and came up with this idea of making an auto-rickshaw which can be pedalled by seating her inside. Suresh’s intention was to give Sneha a feeling of sitting inside the auto-rickshaw and going for a ride, though the ride is only on the courtyard and premises of their house.

This gift from her dad is sure to help her overcome the depression that affected her when COVID banned her auto rides with her father. Sneha is also overwhelmed on getting the cycle pedalled auto rickshaw. Suresh’s earlier experience as an automobile mechanic, the carpentry that he had learnt while much younger and his skill at making miniature models - all combined to realise this concept of a pedalled auto rickshaw.

The ridable auto-rickshaw has been made using foam sheet, plywood, iron pipes, bicycle pedals, wheels, wooden pieces and plastic sheets. It took Suresh about a month and a half to make the auto-rickshaw which has been named ‘Snehamol’ which is parked in the front courtyard along with his actual taxi auto rickshaw. Now, Suresh's wife Saritha can also take their daughter on an auto-rickshaw joy ride in their front yard anytime