Can’t walk? But now you can drive!!

Samarpita Mukherjee-Sharma in conversation with the man who customised Sir Stephen Hawking’s Mahindra Voyager, Ferdinand Rodricks.

Ferdi, as he is fondly called, has over 60 assignments to his credit, all for physically challenged drivers with various types of disabilities. What started out as a hobby for him is today a serious passion.

Ferdi with Stephen Hawking on his India visit

Incepted in the year 1991, Ferro Equip is a dynamic organization engaged in manufacturing and exporting hand controls and alterations for physically challenged driven vehicle. These are widely accepted for its advantages optimum comfort, high safety factor, portability and easy accessibility.

“I work in the capacity of a CEO of a Mahindra Authorized Service Centre in Mumbai.I have been customizing vehicles and various gadgets for the physically challenged for the past 20 years. This is my passion and my call in life. I also have a brand name “Ferro Equip” under which I carry out all my work for the physically challenged. My website is www.HandicappedPeople.com,” says Ferdi who believes everyone has the right to move around independently.

BMW 530 di fitted with hand controls

Having started off with a Fiat, Rodricks has now improvised on almost all cars in the market – from a Mercedes, Camry and Corolla to a Maruti 800. “Even today, I place myself on the driver’s seat to judge for myself whether it’s comfortable and convenient to drive,” he explains.

Based on his judgment, Rodricks then decides how to place the controls accordingly. “I have re-worked on a car which was a manual transmission vehicle, with a hand-operated brake, clutch and accelerator.

erdi doesn’t stop here. He has a personal relation with all the people who have benefitted from his skills. He has a farmhouse in Nerul which he has remade as per requirements of handicapped people. Atleast once every year, the entire gang goes for a stay to this farmhouse and if you drop in on one of these days, you will see a group of people who might not be able to walk, playing to their heart’s fill on the go-karting rink! Yes, the farmhouse has been custom made for Ferdi’s friends in every possible way — its his way fo giving him a vacation where they can have fun and play games, their way! 

[This story was published on http://youthleader.in and can be viewed with my byline at http://youthleader.in/2010/08/cant-walk-but-now-you-can-drive/]