With India’s footwear exports and domestic consumption rising steadily, it certainly pays to be in the shoes of a footwear technologist. As more and more foreign as well as domestic shoe companies scout around for footwear designers, these professionals have ample scope to grow and gain by putting their best foot forward, writes Manish Kumar Singal

IT was Uttam Kumar’s desire to do something different that steered him away from the beaten track into a lesser-known, yet promising field. Having set out to become an engineer, like countless others, his life took an interesting turn when he decided to step into the shoes of a footwear technologist.

"I got selected in at least five engineering colleges across the country but I left that line for a future in footwear designing," says Kumar, a passout of the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), Noida.

And he has no reason to regret the change in career choice. "I have been selected by Marco Ricci, one of the best shoe companies in the world. My parents too are happy at my choice," he says excitedly.

Like Kumar, scores of others who’ve opted for this field have a bright future with the Indian footwear industry poised for rapid growth, in the domestic as well as international market.

India ranks second among the footwear producing countries, next after China. Though India has only a two per cent share in the $ 40-billion global footwear export sector, compared to China’s 20 per cent, the exports are expected to leapfrog due to a shift from labour-intensive methods to modern, state-of-the-art production technology and innovative designs. India enjoys the advantage of a huge raw material base in this field.

On the domestic front, India has a large market for footwear. According to estimates, the total domestic demand for footwear is estimated at 800 million pairs. In view of the growth potential of this sector and the rising demand for footwear technologists, more and more people are opting for this field.

Says Tanvir Zafar Ali, Secretary, FDDI, "The scope of footwear technology is increasing day by day. Every year, more and more foreign companies are coming to India to tap our shoe industry."

He claims that the institute’s students have a 100 per cent placement rate owing to the immense scope of this sector. Since its inception, the FDDI has grown rapidly to gain top ranking in Asia, he further claims. "Our students are getting good placements both in India and abroad. One of our students is the Head of Reebok Company in China," says Ali.

The FDDI is at present offering two programmes—a three-year Diploma in Footwear Technology (DFT) and a two-year Postgraduate Diploma in Footwear Technology and Management. For the PG diploma, graduation with 60 per cent marks or postgraduation with 50 per cent marks is required and for the DFT, plus two is the minimum requirement.

In addition to these long-term courses, the institute also runs short-term courses for individuals to cater to the demand for specific skill upgradation.

The FDDI has also opened a centre at Bangalore, where it offers short-term courses for professionals in the field. The institute also participates in all national as well as international fairs aimed at promoting the footwear industry. It also conducts seminars from time to time in India as well as abroad.

There are different branches of footwear manufacturing like cutting, closing, components, lasting, finishing operations and designing. Says Juhi Tandon, a passout of the FDDI, "In this field it is necessary to get as much practical training as possible."

Students pursuing footwear technology can either be absorbed as designers in shoe companies or they can start their own design studios. Officials at the FDDI say that footwear designers start with a pay packet of Rs 20,000 per month and thereafter the sky is the limit. They can also work as freelance designers and earn according to their skills.

The FDDI was set up in 1986 under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Commerce and is an ISO 9001 certified institution. Some of the big companies that employ footwear technologists are Hindustan Lever Limited, Farida Shoes, Drish Shoes, Mirza Tanners Ltd., M&B footwear (P) Ltd., Liberty Shoes, Lakhani Shoes etc.

"The footwear market is very price sensitive. Though India’s footwear market is growing rapidly, it is facing fierce competition from countries like China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, which are emerging as leading players in the field," says Ali. "European countries like Poland, Romania, Czech and Slovak republics too are major producers of footwear," he adds.