The right foot forward
Drish Shoes Can’t Put A Foot Wrong: Indereshwar Singh Paul's company Drish Shoes will soon launch shoes specially designed for diabetic patients.
By Guvleen Aulakh, TNN |
Indereshwar Singh Paul is very particular about his sugar intake. “Only diet Coke for me,” he tells the waiter, and winks. In fact, when it comes to dealing with diabetes, the suave Sikh is like a man on a mission. So much so, his company Drish Shoes will soon launch shoes specially designed for diabetic patients.
Paul is almost passionate about shoes and its designs, which he feels can help cure several ailments. He attributes many ailments to faulty shoes that Indians wear since childhood and rues the absence of enough practising podiatrists across the country. So, now his company - which got its name from D for Dost (a friend) and RISH for rishtedar (relatives) who helped him set up the business - wants to tap the huge market for healthy shoes. Drish Shoes is talking to Piedro Verkooporganisatie in Bleiswijk, Holland for a joint venture to make shoes for the diabetic. These shoes will help a patient detect any infection in his foot. Most diabetic patients lose sensation in their feet and risk amputation when an undetected infection grows beyond cure.
“Also, one needs to research why Indians don't make good athletes. It is most likely that wearing faulty shoes was the reason,” he says. Abroad, mothers take special care in getting good shoes for their kids. Here, no one even bothers. So, Drish is also setting up another joint venture with Italy's Manas to make high-end shoes. These shoes will be customised using machines and the designs imported.
Ask ace Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra, one of Paul's eminent customers. “I won the World Championships wearing shoes designed by Drish. Generally, I get my shoes made from Germany but they have been grateful in making 8-9 customised pairs just before Championships,” says Bindra who reported a comfort from his backache after wearing shoes Paul made for him.
The now Rs 100-crore Drish has taken many a small step in the last 20 years. It has been able to get German brands Lloyd, Manz, Fortuna and Jela, Dutch label Hupsakee and Austrian Richter to begin production from his modern tannery in Nalagarh that produces 10 million square feet a year. Beginning from exporting to German shoe major Manz in 1988, Drish has been able to grab space on shelves of deluxe brands, right from Schuh Union, Kennel & Schmenger, Salamander, Gabor, Start-Rite, Astor Muller, Gallus Lloyd, Hush-Puppies to Elefanten and almost came close to acquiring Manz, their prime customer. Paul is thinking big. He is expanding capacity. The existing capacity for uppers is 1 million pairs a year. The capacity of the shoe plant is 4 lakh pairs a year and that of soles is 2 lakh pairs. “Sticking to quality is essential. But we need alliances to grow. At the end, it's all about quality,” says Mr Paul.
Paul is almost passionate about shoes and its designs, which he feels can help cure several ailments. He attributes many ailments to faulty shoes that Indians wear since childhood and rues the absence of enough practising podiatrists across the country. So, now his company - which got its name from D for Dost (a friend) and RISH for rishtedar (relatives) who helped him set up the business - wants to tap the huge market for healthy shoes. Drish Shoes is talking to Piedro Verkooporganisatie in Bleiswijk, Holland for a joint venture to make shoes for the diabetic. These shoes will help a patient detect any infection in his foot. Most diabetic patients lose sensation in their feet and risk amputation when an undetected infection grows beyond cure.
“Also, one needs to research why Indians don't make good athletes. It is most likely that wearing faulty shoes was the reason,” he says. Abroad, mothers take special care in getting good shoes for their kids. Here, no one even bothers. So, Drish is also setting up another joint venture with Italy's Manas to make high-end shoes. These shoes will be customised using machines and the designs imported.
Ask ace Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra, one of Paul's eminent customers. “I won the World Championships wearing shoes designed by Drish. Generally, I get my shoes made from Germany but they have been grateful in making 8-9 customised pairs just before Championships,” says Bindra who reported a comfort from his backache after wearing shoes Paul made for him.
The now Rs 100-crore Drish has taken many a small step in the last 20 years. It has been able to get German brands Lloyd, Manz, Fortuna and Jela, Dutch label Hupsakee and Austrian Richter to begin production from his modern tannery in Nalagarh that produces 10 million square feet a year. Beginning from exporting to German shoe major Manz in 1988, Drish has been able to grab space on shelves of deluxe brands, right from Schuh Union, Kennel & Schmenger, Salamander, Gabor, Start-Rite, Astor Muller, Gallus Lloyd, Hush-Puppies to Elefanten and almost came close to acquiring Manz, their prime customer. Paul is thinking big. He is expanding capacity. The existing capacity for uppers is 1 million pairs a year. The capacity of the shoe plant is 4 lakh pairs a year and that of soles is 2 lakh pairs. “Sticking to quality is essential. But we need alliances to grow. At the end, it's all about quality,” says Mr Paul.
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