On a quiet afternoon in Aurangabad, a teenager sits at his desk, deeply focused. A laptop screen glows softly in front of him. His fingers — steady, deliberate, assured — move across the keyboard, shaping a piece of intricate 3D art. Beside him, his mother watches, a quiet smile of relief and pride on her face.

Three years ago, even this simple act would have felt impossible.

Today, Arnav Maharishi is known as a young innovator. At 17, he has built two rehabilitation tools — an AI-powered application that tracks fine motor recovery and a wearable device that helps paralysis patients regain upper limb movement. 

His work earned him the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in Science and Technology in 2025.

But the story behind these innovations is not one of sudden brilliance. It is one of interruption, uncertainty, and a long, deeply personal journey back to self.

When everything changed 

In 2022, life as Arnav knew it came to a halt.

At 14, he and his mother met with an accident — one that left him critically injured and unconscious.

What followed was a period his family describes as suspended time. For 11 days, Arnav remained in a coma, dependent on life support, his condition shifting between hope and fear.

“When he was admitted, we were told not to expect much,” recalls his mother, Dr Anupriya Maharishi. “The first few days were about survival. Nothing beyond that.”

She was hospitalised, recovering from her own injuries. For nearly a week, she could not see her son.

“When I finally saw him, just a couple of days before he came out of the coma, it was overwhelming. You’re looking at your child, but you don’t know what lies ahead.”

When Arnav regained consciousness, relief came, but it was incomplete. The extent of his injuries surfaced gradually.

He had paralysis on his dominant right side. He couldn’t move his hand. Sitting up required assistance. Basic actions, once instinctive, now demanded effort, patience, and help.

There were other challenges too — memory gaps, personality shifts, and moments of disconnection.

“There were times he didn’t recognise me,” his mother says quietly. “He called me ‘aunty.’”

It felt, in many ways, like meeting a different version of someone they knew so well.

The weight of recovery

Recovery did not arrive as a breakthrough. It unfolded slowly, through repetition and routine.

After initial treatment, Arnav’s rehabilitation stretched across cities — from Mumbai back to Aurangabad, eventually settling into a demanding daily schedule. Physiotherapy and occupational therapy filled his days.

The physical strain was visible.........

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