Meet man, cobbler from UP, whose slipper is worth Rs 10 lakh, now launches his brand named...

It's not every day that an influential personality like Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visit you and not just that, he also changes your life. Exactly this happened when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met a cobbler in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur, worked with him briefly and gifted him a machine to start his own business. The man never looked back after that. On his way back to Lucknow after visiting Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi stopped at a cobbler's shop and interacted with him and his family. 

When Rahul Gandhi met a cobbler 

Gandhi stopped briefly at the cobbler's shop and tried his hand at mending a chappal (slipper) as could be seen in a video that was posted by the Congress party on its social media platforms. “Leader of Opposition Shri RahulGandhi stopped the car on the way and met a family of cobbler. We are continuously fighting for the rights of these hardworking people, raising their voice from the streets to the Parliament. Our aim is to ensure their safety at present and their future prosperous,” the Congress said in a post on 'X'. 

After the interaction, Ram Chet, the cobbler, said that Rahul Gandhi did some stitching on a chappal and also mended a shoe at his shop. While speaking to ANI, Ram Chet said, “I have been working here for the last 40 years. Rahul Gandhi had a discussion with us about our business...I told him I was financially weak and asked him for some help. I also showed him how I mend shoes.” 

Rahul Gandhi went a step further to help the cobbler and even gifted him a shoe stitching machine. Lauding the Congress MP’s gesture, the INC in its post said, “Now, a shoe stitching machine has been sent to him, which will make it easier for Ram Chet to stitch shoes.” 

How cobbler Ram Chet’s life changed 

Rahul Gandhi’s visit proved to be a profitable opportunity for cobbler Ram Chet, as people offered him Rs 10 lakhs for a pair of shoes stitched by the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha. Ram Chet said that he was getting offers of bags full of cash and became popular. People were coming to click selfies with him, passers-by were stopping their cars to greet him, which increased his demand. However, Ram Chet said that even after he was offered Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh by people he refused them and said he would keep the slipper made by Rahul Gandhi with him. Ram Chet said, “I was stitching the slippers when he arrived here. He asked me about how I do this. I explained to him how I stitch and then he tried his hand at stitching a footwear and pasting a shoe.” 

Ram Chet asserted that Gandhi's visit unfolded a new chapter in his life, and he is no longer a common man, as he became popular. 

Highlighting the increased number of people at his shop, he said, "There is no increase in the income but I am getting a lot of respect. People are coming to honour me and click selfies with me."

Rahul Gandhi played matchmaker for Ramchet  and Sudheer Rajbhar, founder of Chamar Studio, setting up a meeting in Mumbai. This encounter not only provided Ramchet with valuable business insights and guidance but also inspired him to innovate his craft, leading to a significant boost in his earnings. 

The Indian National Congress shared the incident on X handle, saying, “A few days ago, leader of the people Rahul Gandhi met shoemaker Ramchet Ji in Sultanpur, UP. Rahul Gandhi encouraged him to move forward and sent him a shoe stitching machine. Now Ramchet Ji has launched his footwear brand ‘Ramchet Mochi’.” 

(With inputs from ANI)