MANY SHOE REPAIRERS’ stalls in India carry at least one image depicting the politician BR Ambedkar (1891-1956). Amongst his many achievements was heading the committee that drafted the Indian Constitution. Statues often show him holding a book – the Indian Constitution.

Ambedkar was born into a Marathi family in what is now the state of Madhya Pradesh. His family were outside the caste system – they were “untouchables”, also known as ”dalits” or, as Mahatma Gandhi called them, “Harijans”. One of Ambedkar’s. important ambitions was to procure political rights and social liberation for the dalits.

Traditionally, and still today, Hindu leather workers (tanners, shoemakers, leatherworkers, shoe repairers, etc) were members of dalit communities (e.g., the Chamar community). It is for this reason that images of Ambedkar, who fought for their rights, appear on shoe menders’ kiosks.