Compassion That Sparks Invention
India’s former President, the “Missile Man” Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, once saw a young boy struggling to walk with a 3–3.5 kg iron caliper strapped to his leg.
Moved by the child’s pain, Dr. Kalam could not rest. He devoted months to developing a solution and finally invented a caliper weighing just 250 grams, crafted from satellite material.
This was not only a scientific achievement but also a symbol of a compassionate heart.
Centuries earlier, Saint Eknath too showed such deep empathy. Watching an ox being whipped, he felt the animal’s pain so intensely that when the whip struck again, he collapsed—
and the same marks appeared on his own back. This was the highest form of compassion, one that even transformed the heart of the ox’s owner.
When Science Meets Service
Dr. Kalam’s humanitarian innovation inspired Pujya Kailash Manav Ji, founder of Narayan Seva Sansthan.
Encouraged by his example, the Sansthan developed a 350-gram Floor Reaction Orthosis caliper using polypropylene.
When Dr. Kalam later visited Udaipur and held the caliper, he was overjoyed.
This beautiful blend of compassion and science brought mobility and hope to thousands of differently-abled children.
Carrying the Legacy: Apno Se Apni Baat
Carrying forward this spirit, Prashant Agarwal, President of Narayan Seva Sansthan, shares true stories of service, innovation, and human compassion in his inspirational program,
“Apno Se Apni Baat.”
He often emphasises that true progress is measured not by technology alone, but by how deeply we care for the helpless.
According to him, when empathy becomes action, it transforms into service—and that service becomes the highest form of humanity.
A Call to Compassion
These stories remind us that greatness lies not in wealth or appearances but in the compassion within our hearts and the courage to act upon it.
When we embrace others’ suffering as our own and work to ease it, we create ripples of positive change across society.
Let us learn from these noble souls and make even small efforts to bring joy and relief to those around us.