Indian Billionaire Sponsors Local Boy After Being Wowed By His Iron Man Suit Made From Scrap

An Indian teenager is being primed for great things after wowing a billionaire industrialist with his Iron Man suit made from scrap metal and pieces of cardboard.

Billionaire businessman Anand Mahindra said that the Tech Mahindra Foundation, part of the Mahindra Group he chairs, will make sure an Indian teen and his siblings get a full education after teenager Prem, from the city of Imphal in the Indian state of Manipur, wowed with his Iron Man suit design.

Prem designed a functioning suit and built a replica with scrap materials and no formal training, impressing Mahindra.

Anand Mahindra from India who built ‘Iron Man’ suit from scrap. (@anandmahindra/CEN)

The billionaire’s team travelled to the north-eastern state to visit the teen and his family, adding that he was “awestruck” by Prem’s talents especially given “his circumstances”.

He said: “I am awestruck and inspired by Prem’s ambition & skills that have flowered despite – not because of – his circumstances. Many of us from privileged backgrounds never appreciated enough the resources we were given. But Prem uses scrap material & basic tools to shape his creations

On 30th September, Mahindra said on social media: “I had tweeted about Prem, the young man from Imphal who used scrap material to build an ‘Iron Man’ suit.

Anand Mahindra from India who built ‘Iron Man’ suit from scrap. (@anandmahindra/CEN)

“I was keen to support his obvious talent & I’m grateful to our Auto sector partners, Shivz Autotech in Imphal for visiting Prem & his family to understand his desires.”

Mahindra, whose net worth is estimated to be USD 1.6 billion, said in a follow-up tweet: “Move over Tony Stark. Make way for the REAL Iron Man. And it would be a privilege to assist him & his siblings in their education. If someone can connect me to him, it will be a privilege for me & @KCMahindraEduc1 to support him.”

He also shared drawings and images of Prem’s Iron Man suit, that all indicate the meticulous planning he underwent before building a prototype from scraps.

Anand Mahindra from India who built ‘Iron Man’ suit from scrap. (@anandmahindra/CEN)

One video shows an impressive functioning arm that responds to the user’s movements.

He reportedly built the Iron Man body frame with cardboard and the armour with scraps, and the suit is remote-controlled.

Local media said that Prem has already met with Mahindra’s team to discuss the next steps forward.

Anand Mahindra from India who built ‘Iron Man’ suit from scrap. (@anandmahindra/CEN)

With the wowed billionaire promising to give Prem and his siblings a full education, the young man appears to have a bright future ahead of him.