Diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 17, Nikhil Autar has undergone chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants, open heart surgery and survives a life-threatening chronic illness.
As a cancer survivor who understands the importance of access for people with disability, Nikhil created Knia Maps – ‘Know In Advance Maps’ – which has plotted accessibility at major Sydney hospitals, universities, public venues and transport, plus hundreds of small businesses.
Nikhil also founded Bheem Health, a social enterprise that provides low-cost medical devices for sick and vulnerable people.
His first device, BheemUP, allows any bed to convert into a hospital bed. He’s now developing BheemSense, the world's first sensor mat that tracks sleep phases and helps minimise pressure sores.
Medical student Nikhil has raised almost $500,000 for pressure sore and medical device research.
A blogger, disability advocate and motivational speaker, his diverse and inclusive hiring practices have given migrants, people with disabilities and student engineers their first jobs.