Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | Sruthi Babu’s journey with Sahayatha began as a quietly determined response to a problem that millions of Indian families face every day — the lack of dignity and independence for patients who are bedridden or have limited mobility. While working closely with healthcare professionals and visiting hospitals, Sruthi witnessed how caregivers struggled to move and clean immobile patients. That moment of empathy became the seed for her entrepreneurial mission — to create a smart, hygienic, and affordable wheelchair that could restore both comfort and dignity to those who needed it most.
What started as a simple idea on paper evolved into years of research, design, and testing. Sruthi, an engineer by training, founded Dhanvantri Biomedical Pvt. Ltd. around 2019 to give her innovation a formal structure and began developing the product under the brand name Sahayatha. She and her team spent months refining every detail — from the shape of the seat to the placement of water outlets — so that it could function efficiently while being easy to use. The outcome was a unique smart wheelchair equipped with an integrated defecation and cleaning system that could reduce dependency on caregivers and ensure hygiene for long-term patients.
After countless iterations and trials, the Sahayatha wheelchair was finally ready for real-world use. The device combines a commode feature, a water jet cleaning mechanism, a reclining backrest, and a structure that can even convert into a stretcher. Its design focuses on convenience, hygiene, and affordability — making it particularly relevant for Indian households and hospitals where access to advanced assistive technology remains limited.
The company gained national recognition when Sruthi Babu appeared on Shark Tank India Season 2. Her calm confidence and clear purpose caught the attention of the Sharks and viewers alike. On the show, she showcased the working model of Sahayatha, explaining its design, technology, and impact. The pitch struck an emotional chord with the investors, leading to an offer of ₹1 crore for 10 percent equity. It wasn’t just an investment in a product but also a vote of confidence in Sruthi’s mission to make caregiving easier and more dignified.
The Shark Tank appearance opened several doors for the startup. Orders began to increase, hospitals and NGOs reached out for partnerships, and Sahayatha’s story spread across digital platforms as an example of Indian innovation with purpose. The company’s website and verified marketplaces currently list Sahayatha’s wheelchairs as available for purchase, confirming that the brand continues to operate actively. The Coimbatore-based venture has built a small but significant presence in the healthcare device space, continuing to serve patients and caregivers with its smart mobility solutions.
Sruthi Babu’s Sahayatha is more than just a product — it’s a movement toward compassionate healthcare innovation. By identifying a deeply human problem and addressing it with practical engineering, she has bridged the gap between empathy and technology. From its establishment in 2019 to its Shark Tank recognition and continuing operations today, Sahayatha stands as proof that socially conscious ideas can thrive in the market while changing lives for the better.
Written & Edited By:
Rajshree Upadhyaya
