Bangalore Cobbler To Set World Record

Insync

oi-Staff

By Staff

Friday, November 21, 2008, 9:48

"Ambition is a wonderful motivation in itself', as the saying goes, the firm believer to which is a cobbler in Bangalore city who has big dreams of fame and fortune by creating miniature shoes"

K.R Shivshankar owns a 6' by 3' shop, where he mends and polishes the footwear of the passerby. "I keep listening to radio pro grammes. Once I heard that someone made a Guinness record by making Taj Mahal inside a bottle. And I also heard other such unique achievements. I then decided to do something unique in my profession. Then I started making miniature shoes starting from 1 inch. I am keeping all these pairs of miniature shoes in the hope that I would also make a record some day," said Shivshankar.The entire venture started as a fun but has began to attract attention of locals and foreigners alike. Shivshankar has also sold quite a few of his creations but kept 50 pairs with himself. The fifty-year old prepares mini shoes and sandals of average size of one-inch (1 to 5 cm) by squeezing in time between his work.

Now it has been six months since he has set out on this unique venture, where each shoe takes about an hour to create. The variety of the miniature footwear include pencil heels, floaters, and even gumboots. Shivshankar aims to prepare at least 100 miniature pairs, all of different designs and varieties and make a world record.

"I want to make 100 pairs, all of different designs and in all varieties. Nobody should be able to say that any particular variety is not available. I have made gents and ladies shoes, gents and ladies Kohlapuris and ladies sandals with pencil heels as well," he said.

Though Shivshankar follows his passion, he still lacks the much required financial support. Currently he utilizes the waste generated out of making the regular pairs of shoes. This genius manages to make 150-200 rupees or less per day and has a three children to support for their higher studies.

Shivshankar hopes and aims to make a better livelihood for himself and his family and would never want his children to get in to his shoes.