From 2002 till completion of Physiotherapy Bachelor’s degree in 2007, Sagar Naik realized that Physiotherapy has been practiced in India since more than 4 decades but the growth of Physiotherapy as a profession was unfortunately minimal or on a decline from many perspectives. He encountered two important questions, which raised a BIG QUESTION MARK on the global status of Physiotherapy in India. First, even after completing a four and half years of professional Bachelor’s degree from a reputed Physiotherapy college, why majority of general public (even educated people) considered Physiotherapist as a “Kasratwala” or “Massagewala”? And second question, why Physiotherapists have started changing their professional career to non-Physiotherapy careers? These basic questions lead many interactions with Physiotherapy students, Physiotherapists and other people connected to Physiotherapy, and a need of immediate paradigm shift for the development of Physiotherapy was sensed. By then, a dream of Standard Physiotherapy in India was already incepted in the mind.

StEP Mission

Standardize entry-level/higher-level education, continuing education and clinical physiotherapy practice (Standards)

Educate all health care professionals, government bodies and general public about Physiotherapy profession (Awareness)

Promote physiotherapy opportunities, exchange of knowledge, research & team work (Development)

Physiotherapy as a profession in India has always been underrated profession despite of its important role in rehabilitation domain of health care system. Physiotherapists are constantly fighting for their identity and earning through various protest (Delhi: February 4, 2008; Jammu: November 23, 2010), rallies (Delhi: March 8, 2010), and hunger strikes (Salem: September 17, 2007; Chennai: January 6, 2008) since a decade. Unfortunately, all these attempts have shown minimal changes in the way Physiotherapy as a profession is looked upon, which makes one to think about - what are the problems?, where are the problems?, are these protest, rallies, and strike, the right approaches?, will these approaches resolve and justify our basic problems of Physiotherapy profession?, if not, then how to fix these problems?, that are impeding the growth of Physiotherapy as a profession in India.