IIT Madras, Spark Minda Foundation Partner to Scale ‘Kadam’ Prosthetic Knee

New Delhi/Chennai, September 11, 2026: The IIT Madras Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and Spark Minda Foundation (SMF), the CSR arm of Spark Minda, have signed a Non-Exclusive Technology License Agreement to facilitate the technology transfer of ‘Kadam’, a prosthetic knee designed to support mobility across uneven terrain.

The agreement brings together IIT Madras’ research and engineering capabilities in assistive and rehabilitation technologies with Spark Minda Foundation’s product development, manufacturing and scale-up capabilities. The partnership aims to take the ‘Kadam’ prosthetic knee from research and development towards wider access for people with limb loss.

‘Kadam’ was developed by Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan, Head of the National Centre for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT) and TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), IIT Madras, who led the technology’s development.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Sarika Minda, Chairperson, Spark Minda Foundation, said, “The technology licensing agreement marks not just a technology-transfer milestone, but a critical step towards building a stronger ecosystem where academic innovation, industry capability and social responsibility converge to create solutions for a more inclusive society.”

Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan, Head of the National Centre for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT) and TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), IIT Madras, said, “We are happy to collaborate with like-minded partners who believe persons with disability should have access to the right technologies that enable their independence.”

The partnership is part of Spark Minda Foundation’s broader focus on developing indigenous prosthetic solutions. The Foundation has set a target of achieving 50,000 prosthetic limb fitments by 2030.

The agreement is intended to support the transition of the technology from research and engineering development to manufacturing and wider deployment. Spark Minda Foundation will bring its product development, manufacturing and outreach capabilities to the collaboration, while IIT Madras will contribute its research and technology expertise.

Dr. Suresh D., Group CTO, Spark Minda Group and CEO, Spark Minda Technical Centre (SMIT), highlighted the company’s focus on using technology and innovation for solutions contributing to social development.

The collaboration is positioned as an industry-academia partnership focused on scaling assistive technology and expanding access to prosthetic solutions for persons with limb loss.