In an effort to help create more access and opportunity for people living with disabilities, Google.org today announced that it will support three Indian non-profit organizations through more than ?54 million (US$800,000) in grant funding. The recipients include the Ratnanhidi Charitable Trust, Leprosy Mission Trust India and Public Health Foundation India.

The grants are the result of the globalGoogle Impact Challenge for disabilities, an initiative to invest US$20 million in non-profits that are using emerging technologies to increase independence for disabled people. NGOs from around the world were invited to submit ideas that would make a real, positive impact for people living with disabilities.

The grant toRatnanhidi Charitable Trustwill help them provide improved access to a well-fitting artificial leg through the use of 3D scanning and printing technologies. TheLeprosy Mission Trust Indiawill establish a facility to create high-quality, customized, protective footwear for people with leprosy using 3D technologies. ThePublic Health Foundation Indiawill develop a mobile app for village healthcare workers to rapidly and reliably assess eligibility for government disability benefits.

The announcement was made by Kiran Kaja, Technical Program Manager, Google London at TechShare India in New Delhi, a leading conference on accessibility and inclusion. Google is the silver sponsor for the event.

Innovative technologies are already helping to improve everyday life for people living with disabilities. Through these grants, we want to empower organizations to build impactful solutions that will create better access for people living with disabilities in India, said Rajan Anandan, Vice President and Managing Director, Google India and Southeast Asia.

Globally, Google.org has donated over US$100 million in grants and US$?1 billion in technology resources? in 2015 alone.

About Google.org

Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, supports nonprofits that innovate to address humanitarian issues. Google.org was created to pursue, experiment with, and build upon ideas to improve the world, and continues to take an iterative approach to philanthropy today. Google.org develops and invests in pursuits that can have measurable impact on local, regional and global issues, and rallies Google people in support of these efforts with a singular goal of creating a better world, faster.