Every morning at Nariman Point, as the city races ahead, one man quietly carries on a tradition of craftsmanship that’s almost four decades old. Sukhlal Mohobe, a cobbler, has mended the soles of Mumbai for 40 years — polishing, fixing, stitching — restoring dignity to the worn-out shoes of thousands.
But today, it’s Sukhlal-ji who needs support.
His wife is paralysed and bedridden. Medical expenses have drained all their savings. He shows up to work every day, determined not to beg, but to earn. Yet, with no funds to buy leather, polish, soles, or tools, he’s left with nothing — no raw material, no means to do the work he has done his whole life.
“Main kuchh maang nahi raha. Bas itna chahta hoon ki phir se kaam kar sakoon. Imandari se. Izzat se.”
(“I’m not asking for charity. I just want to be able to work again. Honestly. With dignity.”)
Sukhlal-ji is not asking for much — just a basic fresh supply of cobbler tools and materials so he can continue working and supporting his family.
Your small contribution could be the leather that lines someone’s shoes, the polish that gives someone confidence, or the income that pays for essential medicine. Because behind every polished shoe, is someone who never stopped working to keep us moving.
Let’s not walk past his story. Let’s stand beside him — for dignity, for self-respect, for Mumbai’s soul.
