N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Tuesday said that the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) here will develop healthcare footwear.
Interacting with presspersons, she said CLRI had already begun working with doctors and other healthcare professionals for the same and the models are likely to be ready in a year. “We have already started to make footwear for children with cerebral palsy. If they wear these as children, the problem can be corrected. Trials are to be done for these. We are looking at footwear that will be motorised,” explained CLRI Director K. J. Sreeram.
Dr. Kalaiselvi also went on to explain that in 18 months’ time, CLRI would get the Indian Footwear Sizing system ready. “We have collected over one lakh samples and are processing the data. We have submitted the sizes to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Now, we will manufacture shoes and footwear along with shoe manufacturers and then conduct user trials for six months,” he explained. The Director General said the CLRI, which handholds the footwear industry from end to end, would also look at making sports shoes that are suited to Indian feet.
