Google awards grant funding worth Rs 54M to 3 Indian non-profits

To help people with disabilities in India, Google has decided to give grant funding worth $8,00,000 (Rs 54 million) to three non-profit organisations as part of its global initiative Google Impact Challenge for disabilities. The initiative aims at empowering disabled people through technology.

Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the company, announced Friday at an event, TechShare India, in New Delhi, that the step is expected to encourage and create more access and opportunities to people with disabilities by improving the technological capacities of the non-profit organisations, the IANS reports.

Ratnanhidi Charitable Trust (RCT), Leprosy Mission Trust (LMT) India and Public Health Foundation India (PHFI) are the three non-profit organisations that have received the funding from Google.

"Innovative technologies are already helping to improve everyday life for people living with disabilities. Through these grants, we want to empower organizations to build impactful solutions," said D Rajan Anandan, Google India and Southeast Asia managing director, according to the news agency.

He added that Google.org aims to invest $20 million in non-profit organisations that deploy emerging technologies to enhance the independence of disabled people.

The funding will help Mumbai-based RCT provide person-specific, 3D-printed artificial legs using 3D scanning and printing technologies.

LMT will use the funding to create customised, high-quality, protective footwear for leprosy patients using 3D technology.

With the funding, the PHFI will develop a mobile app that will help village health workers to examine the persons with disabilities who are eligible for availing benefits under various government-sponsored schemes.