Muktamani Moirangthem couldn’t have foreseen that a chance repairing of her daughter’s torn shoe by knitting onto its sole would someday give her a career option – of becoming a much sought-after shoemaker and designer. Today, the 50-plus mother of four manufactures hand-knitted woollen shoes that are sold all over the world under the brand name Mukta Shoes.

For this particularly cheerful entrepreneur with an extraordinary backstory, life revolves around knitting. It is her passion, commitment, zeal and her “life”.  Her home-cum-workplace is now a small industry set-up unmarked by any signboard or hoarding indicative of a manufacturing unit.Yet, ask for ‘Muktamani - The Khong-up Sembi, or ‘Muktamani - The Shoemaker’ and one is immediately directed to her place. The entire district is familiar with her name, and perhaps this is the reason why she hasn’t bothered to advertise herself.

Her workplace is an informal setting where workers can choose to either work in her home or work from home, bringing in products to her house, for which they are paid accordingly. Of the 30 employees, maximum are women, who knit different designs and sizes of shoes for men, women and children. Products do not stay for long in the inventory as they are rapidly dispatched to stores in the country as well as abroad. Today, Muktamani can look back with nostalgia and pride at her journey as an entrepreneur.

The Journey

I have four children, and often their school shoes would get worn out. One day it so happened that my second daughter told me she had no shoes to wear to school as they had torn. It was an urgent matter, but I had no money. So, I removed the sole of her old shoe and started knitting on it with woollen yarn. Later, after returning from school, she told me that her teacher also wanted a similarly woven shoe for her daughter.  This was in 1989.

Later,in 1990-91, in yet another incident, my eldest daughter’s shoes came apart and I resorted to knitting a pair of shoes for her. However, this time I added a few designs (like straps). It caught the attention of her teachers, our neighbours and some others in the town. That was the moment when it struck me: “This could really sell”.

Rocky Beginning

I married young and my husband did not have a regular job for most part of our married life. So, I did odd jobs for livelihood. Fortunately, I had been knitting yarn ever since I was a teenager. I would knit sweaters, mufflers, caps, stoles etc. That helped us have a secondary source of income. Later, I was able to turn my passion into an occupation which helped me and my family tide over the tough times.

Attention and Recognition

In 1991 when I participated in a mela organised by the industry department of the government of Manipur at the Polo Ground in Imphal, I exhibited a few of my hand-knitted shoes. There were only 12 shoes but they became an instant crowd-puller. Even the then industry minister Holkhomang Haokip remarked, “This is promising”. The mela brought some media attention to my business, - I was even interviewedon All India Radio –and this is where I began to receive attention and recognition for my work. Since then, I went on to participate in exhibitions and shows not only in Manipur, but also in other cities such as Delhi.

Awards and Accolades

In 1993, I participated in a competition organised by the Tourism and Industry department of the government of Manipur. On this occasion, I won the award for ‘Successful Entrepreneur’ for my wool-knitted shoes.

Besides other state awards, I have been the recipient of national and regional awards such as the North-East Vasudhara Award, Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Award, and more recently, I was honoured with the True Legends Award by the English newspaperThe Telegraph.

Unique Sells

What makes my hand-knitted shoes unique is the fact that they are entirely my creation. I have not copied or been inspired by any other product. My hard work helped me to bring out these shoes.

Challenges in the Industry

Initial days have been challenging. When I started out, it was not easy for me to secure loans. Later, I was able to get loans but they were not sufficient.  Even though the government recognised my work and appreciated it, obtaining a large loan for capital money was not possible. My enterprise is recognised by the government as a small-scale industry, so the funds offered were inadequate to fund my business plan. Thus, I was left to fend for myself.

Markets and Demand

Over the years I have a good number of buyers. I have been able to create a market for the products, both offline and online. I sell my products on www.giskaa.com. Besides, I export to Australia, France, Japan as well as within India. The shoes are priced between Rs 500 to Rs 2000, depending on the type and style of the shoes, which include heels, strapped sandals, boots and so on. Sales are more during winter.

Looking Ahead

I sincerely wish to expand my workplace. Presently, it is a tiny place but I would like to turn it into an office-cum-manufacturing unit. However, the immediate plan is to continue doing what I’m doing, and to never stop. It is crucial to keep moving in order to ensure that the business grows much larger than this – in terms of creativity, ideas, outreach and earnings.

Moreover, I have decided to handpick the most dedicated, passionate and creative among my employees - one of whom may take over the enterprise one day –and train him/her to continue my passion with total dedication. That’s the legacy I wish to leave behind.