Most drivers don't respond to an accessibility challenge by building a car from scratch. But in Prayagraj, India, coffee seller and inventor Vimal Kishore did exactly that, creating a solar-powered vehicle for about ₹90,000 (about $950) and outfitting it with GPS and a rearview camera.
Here's what to know
According to a profile from The Better India (@thebetterindia) shared on YouTube, Kishore runs a small coffee stall in Prayagraj during the day and uses his earnings to fund research at night.
He bought an Alto in 2011 hoping to travel independently, but his leg still kept him from driving alone. Rather than give up, he developed a different design and assembled his own alternative from a scooter and parts taken from junked Ambassador cars.
He named the finished product Lailo, a solar-powered car equipped with GPS and a rear-view camera.
His other inventions include a homemade power bank, a cooler made from a discarded drum, and a 1-inch (2.5 centimeters) working charkha that received world-record recognition.
The Better India caption described him this way: "He runs a coffee stall, but his mind is always building something new."
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One commenter called for broader recognition, writing, "He requires recognition. As an asset capable of producing significant inventions, he should also be welcomed by colleges."
More background
A severe fever damaged Kishore's leg when he was an infant, and much of his childhood was spent watching other children walk, run, and play without being able to do the same. He responded to that frustration by taking things apart, learning how they worked, and reassembling them.
That habit of learning through hands-on experimentation eventually brought recognition, including an award from former president Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Even so, he still begins each morning by opening his coffee stall.
"Without an engineering lab or a dedicated team, he researches, designs and builds his inventions himself, finding ways to turn everyday materials into practical ideas," the video's caption reads.
"Vimal's journey reminds us that innovation isn't limited to laboratories, expensive equipment or formal qualifications. Sometimes, it begins with curiosity, resourcefulness and the determination to keep experimenting."
What can be done?
The Better India profile directly appeals to people to back Kishore's work.
It describes him as continuing to build solutions "not just for himself, but for millions of people like him," and asks viewers who want to help to support his efforts so he can keep developing new ideas.
Commenters suggested more organized support as well. One wrote, "Wonder why schools and colleges in India don't invite inventors like him to interact with students or teach them even." Another said he should be connected with institutes that could help publicize his inventions.
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