IIT Kanpur launches Hridyantra, a grand challenge to develop the world’s most advanced artificial heart

Hridyantra is a grand program challenge open to basic sciences, medical and engineering graduates or graduates of any stream with relevant experience

The School of Medical Research and Technology (SMRT), IIT Kanpur has announced the launch of Hridyantra, a grand challenge-based program to develop the world’s most advanced Artificial Heart or a Left Ventricular Assist device (LVAD). The program, in collaboration with the nation’s leading hospitals, would promote the vision of made in India for the world.

A team of innovators with relevant experience will be selected under the mentorship of a task force composed of industry experts. The challenge to develop India’s first LVAD system will be open to basic sciences, medical and engineering graduates or graduates of any stream with relevant experience. Selected candidates will receive a fellowship and a milestone based ownership in the commercial entity once the LVAD is successfully commercialised and launched.

The SMRT, IIT Kanpur has created a task force that includes engineering faculty members from IIT Kanpur, industry experts from the USA, and clinical experts from Narayana Health, All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Delhi (AIIMS Delhi), Apollo, Fortis Healthcare, Medanta, KIMS, and UN Mehta Heart Institute to handhold the selected fellows on developing the Artificial Heart. Hridyantra aims to be India’s most prestigious and impactful medical device innovation program.

Prof. S. Ganesh, Deputy Director of IIT Kanpur and overall in-charge of SMRT said, “Hridyantra will pave the way for an interdisciplinary collaboration of engineering and medicine, backed by the technological and entrepreneurial expertise at IIT Kanpur and clinical expertise of the partner hospitals. We look forward to nurturing an exceptional cohort of young technical minds who will contribute to path-breaking research in the field of medical technology to benefit millions of people not just in India, but across the globe.”

The execution of this competition will commence with the deployment of a multi-disciplinary team of fellows who will undergo clinical immersion at Narayana Health Hospitals for understanding the clinical nuances associated with cardiac surgery. Upon completing their clinical immersion, the fellows will move to IIT Kanpur to begin the product development process under the project.