LEATHER INDUSTRY AND UNION BUDGET 2010-11

LEATHER INDUSTRY AND UNION BUDGET 2010-11
BY V.M. KHALEELUR RAHMAN

The budget presented by the hon’ble Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee on 26th February 2010 can be considered as “ people friendly “ because he has given relief to individual taxpayers by widening the personal income tax slab as shown below:

Income For males below 65 years For females below 65 years
Old New Old New
Up to Rs. 1,60,000 Nil Nil Nil Nil
Rs. 1,60,000 to Rs. 1,90,000 10% 10% Nil Nil
For both male and female
Old New
Rs.1,90,000 to 3,00,000 10% 10%
Rs. 3,00,000 to Rs. 5,00,000 20% 10%
Rs.5,00,000 to Rs. 8,00,000 30% 20%
Above Rs. 8,00,000 30% 30%

For senior citizens the exemption limit increased from Rs.2,25,000 to Rs.2,40,000

Contributions to Central Government Health Scheme up to Rs.20,000 are exempted from tax. But gift of gold, silver, other precious metals is taxable after 1.6.2010 if it is not from relative, inherited or on marriage. There is also benefit of deduction for investments up to Rs.20,000 in long term infrastructure bonds over and above existing Rs. 1 lakh limit under Section 80C of IT Act for investing in savings like Provident Fund, Mutual Funds, Insurance schemes etc. However there is no relief for the lower income group.

VIT University Chancellor Mr. G. Viswanathan while asking the government to take measures to prevent foreign universities, if permitted in our country, from grabbing faculty from leading institutions, has suggested that incentives be given to teachers to attract talented persons to teaching profession. In his opinion one of the ways for this can be to grant exemption to teachers from paying income tax or impose a lesser tax as in Pakistan where the tax is just 5% for teachers.

A tanner pointed out that such unexpected but important suggestions are rightly made to improve the conditions of the Indian educational institutions at the present when the proposal for allowing foreign universities in our country is being debated, but there seems to be no such “think tanks” in the leather industry, which is passing through a difficult period, to suggest something necessity for its improvement.

TIRUPUR DYEING UNITS BENEFITED

The one-time grant of Rs.200 crore provided in the budget coupled with the Rs.120 crore grant from the Tamil Nadu government is expected to bring much relief to the Tirupur dyers. No doubt it was the urgent need of the time.

Many tanners and exporters say that we should not be carried away by the glitterings we see in the leather fairs. The fact is that the leather and leather products industry is still struggling for survival and unless there is some support in the forms of increased incentives and drawbacks from the government things cannot move well in the industry in production and export. We cannot forget that there are stiff competitions from countries like China and Pakistan in the world market. The leather and leather products manufacturers and exporters are in a dilemma, not knowing what to do and how to proceed further. The small units are the worst sufferers. Many tanners I interviewed told me that the Council for Leather Exports and other associations are not serious in representing the leather industry to the government.

CONSUMER ITEMS

Consumer items like mobile handsets, battery chargers, play stations, solar powered and electric cars are to cost less and prices of allopathic, homeopathic and ayurvedic medicines will also be somewhat lower as their excise duty was reduced.

Petrol, diesel, domestic air travel, cigarette etc. are to cost more.
It is reported that the Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee was a pipe smoker till about 25 years ago. He is not smoking now. He has threatened smokers with more taxes in order to discourage them from smoking. Every right thinking person feels that it is perfectly in order. In the meantime he and his other ministerial colleagues would do well to think of discouraging alcoholism also by all possible ways and after sometime ban it completely. His attempts to make our country healthier and richer are welcome and praiseworthy.

MAT AND EXCISE DUTIES

Many associations hailed the budget as fine or excellent act meant for development but expressed disappointment at many disadvantages including the hike in the Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT) and excise duties. Some of them had been demanding cut in MAT from 15 to 10 percent but the government increased it to 18 percent. MAT is a tax payable by the companies which have received tax benefits or tax exception under various schemes.

Mr. Singhania, President of Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), has also said that “by and large the finance minister has provided a stable tax and policy framework for the Indian economy to move forward. However the industry is disappointed that he has raised the MAT rate from 15 to 18% when the industry was demanding a cut down to 10 percent”. He has further said that “the impact of excise duty hike across the board coupled with increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel will add pressure on the price line in current circumstances”.
Mr. M. Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman, Farida group, has also welcomed the budget for its developmental aspects, hailed the provision of one time grant of Rs.200 crore to Tirupur dyers and expressed concern over the increase in MAT from 15% to 18%.

TANNERS’ DISAPPOINTMENTS

Many tanners and merchants in the leather industry express their disappointment that the leather associations are not as active as they should be to assess its present conditions and make suitable and necessary suggestions to the government to achieve export targets and march forward in the highly competitive world market. According to reliable sources, export of leather is likely to go down in the coming days.

They also regret that in the 2188 member strong organization - Council for Leather Exports –a very few members attend its General Body Meeting every year and hence there is no opportunity at all for discussing burning issues and resolving them in a way acceptable to all.

(Indian Leather, April 2010)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read More

WAS THE LEATHER FAIR SUCCESSFUL...?

WAS THE LEATHER FAIR SUCCESSFUL….?

V.M.KHALEELUR RAHMAN

The 25th India International Leather Fair 2010 (IILF) organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and inaugurated by the honourable union minister for textiles Mr. Dayanidhi Maran, held from 31st January to 3rd February 2010, at Chennai Trade Centre, Nundambakkam, Chennai attracted more participants this year despite the global recession.

A GRAND ANNUAL SHOW

According to Mr. Subas Pani, Chairman and Managing Director, ITPO the display area in the fair was spread over 8400 sq.mts and 437 exhibitors participated in it – 265 from our country and 172 from other 24 countries – which represented an increase of 10% in terms of display area and 13% in terms of number of participants compared to the event last year. He said that the IILF was crossing a major milestone after the seed was sown 25 years ago and it had grown into a high fruit yielding tree providing benefit to the Indian leather industry.

The fair was really a big event, of course an improved one. It provided a good opportunity for the participants to display their products such as machinery, chemicals, leather and leather products like shoes and garments, publications etc. and interact with different industrialists, traders and agents to promote their business. The only thing that upset many visitors was insufficient coffee shops and vegetarian restaurants. The nearby store selling tea, cakes and snacks was crowded and had no sitting place. Many visitors were seen going out of the fair area for tea and lunch. The organizers would do well do look into this matter and arrange for the same in the next fair. However the ITPO deserves congratulations and thanks for its otherwise excellent arrangements in the present market scenario. It has proved that whether it rains or shines, its annual extravaganza takes place undisturbed as ever to the satisfaction of all.

CLE AWARDS FOR BEST EXPORT PERFORMANCE

The hon’ble union minister Mr. Dayanidhi Maran who inaugurated the fair appreciated the leather industry for its contribution to growth, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings and attempts to recover from the impacts of the global recession and urged it to give more importance to value added leather products and safeguarding environment through proper pollution control measures. He assured the industry that the government would extend its support to it for increasing growth and export. Later he handed over the CLE awards to 70 members of the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) under different categories for their best export performance in the year 2008-09 in spite of global economic crisis in the middle of that year and extended his felicitations to them. He also honoured Dr. R. Ganesh Jeevan, Dr. C. Muralidharan and Mr. Mohammed Sadiq with CLE awards in recognition and appreciation of their contributions to the leather industry.

CHAIRMAN, CLE ADDRESS

Earlier Mr. Habeeb Hussain, chairman, Council for Leather Exports welcomed the gathering and said that the late union minister Mr. Murasoli Maran had contributed immensely for setting up the Chennai Trade Centre in 2001 and the IILF had the privilege of hosting its event first in this venue and that he was the architect of the Tannery Modernization Fund, the fruits of which were very much visible. He also said that there was recovery and growth of the leather industry from the recession during the last quarter October-December 2009. He further said, “China and Vietnam had copied a model which India invented 30 years ago and met with huge success in implementing this model i.e. industrial estate with the requisite infrastructure.” He appealed to the hon’ble minister to create a “Mission Mode” for the leather and textile & apparel sectors and set a target of creating an additional one million jobs in the leather sector alone in the next 5 years and possibly many times more than that in the textile & apparel sector.

LEATHER EXPORT IN NEGATIVE GROWTH

The leather and leather products industry is to land in negative growth for the year 2009-10 despite positive growth in export during October and November 2009 as the data provided by the Council for Leather exports shows a fall of 16.13% with its total export of US$2121.80 million during April/November 2009 compared to US$2529.85 million during the same period in 2008.

It is to be noted that that finished leather has recorded a drastic fall of 27.47% in exports from US$524.28 million to US$380.26 million. Two reasons can be attributed for this. One is the dull market situation and the other is the strict norms being followed for identification of finished leather at the customs. Many tanners have given up doing finished leather as they do not want to face the custom problems. This writer had highlighted this earlier also in Indian Leather. If the norms are removed, finished leather exports will double and if the duty on E.I. tanned skins and hides is abolished, it will be exported and our foreign exchange earnings will increase further.

SEMINARS

The CLE and Indian Shoe Federation (ISF) arranged seminars on “Speciality adhesives for footwear & leather – the green future” by Henkel and “The global US shoe market outlook” on 1st February 2010
There were another two seminars on 2nd February 2010 – 1) CLE and IFLMEA seminar on “Journey Towards Excellence” (Lessons from Auto Component Industry) and “Accredited Production & Compliance “ 2) UNIDO-ISF-IFLMEA seminar on “Leather and Footwear Industry” supported by CLE.
All the seminars were well attended and useful to the people in the industry and trade.

The Council for Leather Exports brought out its first issue of LEATHER NEWS INDIA during the fair. Its editorial, Chairman’s write-up and other articles on environment, perspective, technology, trade etc. are informative. No doubt, the trade and industry will welcome and support it.

FAIR WAS SUCCESSFUL BUT …

Many participants said that the fair was successful in all aspects but the volume of business done seems to be on expected lines as the world leather and leather products market is still to come out fully from the impacts of the global recession. However there are many signs of early recovery from this phenomenon as indicated by several Indian and overseas importers and exporters who participated in the fair. The prices quoted by overseas tanners and exporters for their leathers made it clear that there will be good demand for Indian leather and leather products in the world market because of their quality and competitive prices.

(Indian Leather, March 2010)

Read More

ISLAM AND THE PROPHET (S.A.W.) BY AMINA KHALEEL

ISLAM AND THE PROPHET (S.A.W)

BY AMINA KHALEEL

Allah bestowed Prophet Muhammad (sal-am) with the great honour of being His Last Messenger to propagate Islam and to teach people the right way of life, the difference between right and wrong, and the life in this world and the hereafter. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) fulfilled his mission with great success. What he has achieved and how he transformed uncivilised and uncultured people into God-fearing, law abiding, pious and sincere human beings is simply fabulous. We must understand his teachings, his qualities and behaviour with the thought that we might be able to imbibe at least some part of it in our lives. In this way we might at least come closer to live a life which Allah wants us to live – a pious, sincere, happy and guilt-free life.

We must learn about the scenario before the advent of Islam, the difficulties faced by the Prophet and his followers, the victories they won and finally the various practices and qualities which are needed to be practised and imbibed as mentioned in the Qur’ān and propagated by the Prophet to lead a pious and happy life. Even before our Prophet was ordained, he was known as ‘Amin’, the Trustworthy. People completely trusted him and had the highest regard for his honesty and integrity. It was Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) who was chosen to fix the Hajr-e-Aswad (the Black Stone) while the repairing of Ka’bah was carried out. He spread a sheet on the ground and placed the stone in the centre of the sheet and asked representatives of the tribes to take hold of the sheet at the four corners and raise it to the desired height. He then took the stone and placed it at the proper place. In this way he not only ensured equality but also won the hearts of the people. Because of his high moral calibre and exemplary qualities, Muhammad (sal-am) was destined to be a Messenger of Allah. Allah would not have given this huge responsibility to anyone less worthy.

Prophet Muhammad (sal-am) conveyed the word of Allah to people and lived his entire life in the light of the very principles Islam stands for. He was an inspiring orator, a just leader, an able adviser, and above all a good-natured, faithful, sincere and pious human being. He treated people equally and in spite of this great honour of being the Messenger of Allah, he always considered himself one among the people. The good qualities of our dear Prophet are endless.

The striking quality of the Prophet’s life that impressed us the most is his austere life. He had a very generous heart and always thought about others. He would give whatever he had as charity every day. Thus he never gave Zakath simply because he never had money for one year from which he could give Zakath. On many occasions he had gone to sleep without food. His room only had the basic requirements and he was averse to any kind of adornments. He did not have at any time more than two sets of clothes. He led a very simple, pious and selfless life. When Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) compared this state with the luxurious living of other rulers and protested tearfully, the Prophet queried, “O Ibn-i-Khattab! Do you not desire that they may have the world and we the hereafter?”

In times of difficulties and hardships, the Prophet’s calm would never waver. His trust in Allah always stood firm. He would go about doing his duties in the most efficient manner. He taught people the various qualities and principles which would make them worthy in the eyes of Allah. He asked people to show compassion towards one another, elderly and the needy and help their neighbours in times of distress. He not only preached but also practised. Every act of his was in accordance with the Islamic principles.

In about 23 years of his Prophethood, with the will of Allah he was able to make such a huge difference in the lives of people. No mean feat this considering the various difficulties and hardships he and his followers faced at every stage in their struggle. After his demise, his loyal and truthful companions carried his mantle forward. It is now left up to us to follow the Prophet’s Sunnah and become good human beings. People, who run behind money, success and power without sparing a thought to the sufferings of other people, should learn a lesson or two from the Prophet.

How can our life be complete and how can we ever be happy when there are several people who are in need. We must follow the Prophet’s example and do whatever we can for the betterment of the poor and needy. Allah has created all of us and He has also given us the wisdom to choose what is right for us. I pray that Allah bestow us with right thinking, good principles and habits. In our mad rush to succeed, we should not forget what Allah expects from us.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read More

AN OVERVIEW OF THE LEATHER INDUSTRY IN TAMIL NADU

AN OVERVIEW OF THE LEATHER INDUSTRY IN TAMIL NADU

V.M. KHALEELUR RAHMAN


Leather industry in Tamil Nadu is considered to be very ancient and some say it is of more than two centuries old. The art of tanning of hides and skins is prevalent here since time immemorial. Once it was done in primitive tanning methods and passed on with some improvements from generation to generation.

After Independence, the leather industry has made a rapid technical and technological advancement, thanks to the efforts of tanners, technical know-how of the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) and well chalked out policies of the governments in the state and at the centre based on the recommendations of the Seetharamiah Committee report. Many people established modern tanneries and started doing high quality finished leather meant for shoes, garments, goods, upholstery etc. Many modern units also came up for shoes, garments and goods. All these show that a tremendous industrial development has taken place within a period of about 30 years. No doubt, our country is very much on the forward march....

AISHTMA:

The All India Skin and Hide Tanners and Merchants Association is a 92 years old apex body and various district and regional associations are affiliated to it. Both the central and state governments have recognised it and consult on all policy matters such as labour, taxation etc. It is also in the service of tanners in importing and supplying tanning materials like wattle extract to them. It is also associated with many national and international trade and industry organisations. It celebrated its platinum jubilee in a grand manner in the year 1994. The present President and Hony. Secretary are Mr. M. Rafeeque Ahmed and Mr. Mohan M. Sreenivas respectively.

TAMIL NADU IN THE FOREFRONT

According to Aishtma, Tamil Nadu is in the forefront in leather with an annual production of more than 1.2 billion sq. ft. of finished leather. It is about 60% share in total finished leather production of our country and 45% share in total export from India. There are about 750 tanneries in Tamil Nadu and the raw material processed per day is 500-1000 tons and annual turnover more than Rs.10,000 crore, number of operational CETPs is 16 catering to 630 tanneries, number of ETPs is 94 and there are more than 56 RO plants in Tamil Nadu. No tannery operates without access to any Effluent Treatment Plant and 100% connectivity to pollution control devices is a speciality of Tamil Nadu.

There are 497 leather products units in Tamil Nadu producing about 59 million pairs of full shoes, 27 million pairs of shoe uppers, 7.1 million pieces of leather garments and 29.5 million pieces of leather goods. The quality of various leathers being produced here is of high standard and comparable with that of any advanced country. Consequently the state of Tamil Nadu once popular for E.I. Tanned hides and skins throughout the world particularly in countries like the U.S.A., the U.K., Italy, West Germany, France, Japan etc. is now popular for leather and leather products in these and many other countries. While Chennai, Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Pernambut, Ranipet, Trichy, Erode and Dindigul are the main centres for leather, Chennai, Ambur and Ranipet are the major hub for leather products such as leather shoes, garments and goods. Our country has earned laurels as a good and reliable supplier of leather and leather products in the world market. Interested persons can contact the following association which is, as said earlier, an apex body of different district and regional associations:


The All India Skin and Hide Tanners and Merchants Association,
“Leather Centre”,
43/53, Raja Muthiah Road, Periamet, Chennai – 600 003 (India)

Telephone: 0091-44-25610636, 25615247 Fax: 0091-44-25615292
E-mail: aishtma@vsnl.com and assn@aishtma.com
Website: http://www.aishtma.com


DINDIGUL, THRICY AND ERODE

Dindigul is still a well known centre as before for E.I. tanned goat and sheep skins as most of the tanners here are addicted to doing only this popular item due to various reasons. There are very few tanners in the chrome tanning and no tanner seems to be producing finished leather here. A reliable and traditional tanner who has inherited this trade from his forefathers told me that the present situation is not conducive for switch over to anything like full chrome, semi chrome or finished leather. The association also does not permit it as pollution is involved. Other problems such as labour and water are also there. The progressive policy of the government has not changed this tanning centre much.

While the leather industry has suffered, textile industry has made a good development here in Dindigul. It is said that there are more than 250 spinning mills here.

Other popular centres are Trichy and Erode. There are many tanneries in Trichy where mostly high standard E.I. tanned goat skins are produced and in the Erode tanneries wet blue cow hides are the main items done. Only very few tanners do some other leather items.

PERNAMBUT

This small town has about 35 tanneries where mostly items like buffalo hides and soul leathers are made for local supplies. Some are also exporting these items. Some shoe factories have also been established here. They are mostly doing job works. Much development is not seen here as perhaps there is nobody to guide them for adopting modern approaches for finance and industrial developments.

CHENNAI

There are quite a large number of tanneries and leather goods, shoe and garment factories in different parts of Chennai mainly at Pallavaram and Madhavaram where different items of leather and leather products are made and supplied to national and international customers. There are so many highly modern units where high quality leather and leather products are made and exported.

AMBUR AND VANIYAMBADI

In Ambur, a well known centre for leather, there are quite a large number of tanneries where E.I. tanned goat and sheep skins, S/C and F/C finished leather etc. are produced. Some of the tanneries are very big and modern with all necessary machinery and infrastructure where high class finished leathers meant for shoes, garments and goods are produced and exported. Importers in different countries have close links with Ambur based tanners and exporters and do big contracts as goat and cow leathers are available in plenty here with international standards. There are very few sheep tanners here. This town has also made a name for its well equipped and well infrastructured modern shoe factories where high standard world class foot wears are made and exported to many countries including the U.S.A, U.K, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain.

At the time of writing this two industrialists come to my mind who were instrumental for the industrial development here. If I remember correct while the late Anaikar Abdul Shukoor sahib started doing finished leather silently before the government introduced its progressive policy, the late T. Abdul Wahid sahib was also a pioneer in following the government policy and asking tanners to do it for their better prospects in the industrial arena. The latter had to face even criticism for his well intentioned actions. But now the leather industry realises their importance and their foresight.

Another centre famous for the leather industry is Vaniyambadi. Here again there are quite a large number of tanneries where items such as E.I. tanned goat and sheep skins, S/C and F/C finished leathers are made, locally supplied and exported. There are also innumerable job tanners here. It is the best place for dealing in sheep items. We can say that it is the leather tanning centre with the largest number of tanneries in Tamil Nadu. No other centre has as many tanneries as Vaniyambadi does.

Vaniyambadi is just about 30 minutes drive from Ambur. While there are more tanneries in Vaniyambadi, there are more shoe units in Ambur which are supplying to the best shoe companies abroad. These two neighbouring centres are playing an important role in the development of the leather industry in the country.

RANIPET

Ranipet has a large concentration of tanneries like Ambur, Vaniyambadi and Chennai processing hides and skins from raw to finish. Various descriptions of leather such as lining, upper and suede leathers are made here for supply to national and international customers. There are also some job tanneries here. Besides these, there are many highly sophisticated and modern units where world class shoes, garments and leather goods are made and exported. SIPCOT industrial complex is also here. It is yet another well known place for leather and leather products in the world market.

( Indian Leather, February 2010)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read More

FINDING ALLAH BY SERVING MANKIND

FINDING GOD BY SERVING MANKIND: Prophet Mohammed (Sal-am) said: God will say, ‘Son of Adam, I fell ill but you did not visit Me.’ He will say, ‘O Lord, and how could I have visited You! You are the Lord of the worlds!’ He will say, ‘Did you not know that My so and so servant had fallen ill and you did not visit him? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him?’‘Son of Adam, I asked you for food but you did not feed Me’. He will say, ‘O Lord, how could I have fed You! You are the Lord of the worlds!’ He will say, ‘My so and so servant asked you for food and you did not feed him? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that with Me?’‘Son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink but you did not give Me.’ He will say, ‘O Lord, how could I have given you to drink! You are the Lord of the worlds!’ He will say, ‘My so and so servant asked you to give him to drink and you did not give him. Had you given him to drink you would surely have found that with Me’. (Muslim: Abu Hurayrah)

Read More

KUDOS TO HONOURABLE MAHARASHTRA CHIEF MINISTER MR. ASHOK CHAVAN

TIMELY ACTION

Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr. Ashok Chavan, with his timely and effective action in allowing the film My Name Is Khan to be screened in Miumbai, has proved that a state can get the support of its people and control any anti social elements, however powerful it may be, from taking the law into its hands. Kudos to him for handling the situation efficiently.

Mumbaikars also deserve praise for their bold stand against the Shiv Sena. It is time people be alert and suppoprt only good causes without blindly following any political party. Our approach should be issued based and not party based.

(Deccan Chronicle dated 16th February 2010)

V.M. KHALEELUR RAHMAN

Read More

" FIVE DECADES OF LEATHER " - A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY

BOOK REVIEW

"FIVE DECADES OF LEATHER" - A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY

V. M. KHALEELUR RAHMAN

If anybody in India or abroad wants to know the history of the leather industry, the best thing for him or her is to have a copy of the book "Five Decades of Leather - a journey down memory lane" so beautifully penned by Shri S.Sankaran and published by Indian Leather with a good get-up.

The author late Shri S. Sankaran was a gentleman par excellence who was associated with the leather industry for more than 50 years. Before starting Indian Leather in 1967, he had served in some famous companies like Raitan Pvt. Ltd. as partner, director etc. It will be interesting to know for many that he and Dr. K.T. Sarkar were appointed as Secretaries of the Indian Leather Fair Society by Dr. Nayudamma, director, Central Leather Research Institute after it was decided in a meeting held in CLRI in 1963 to organise a leather fair and he had conducted the fair year after year till 1985 when the Trade Fair Authority of India decided to organise it as India International Leather Fair. One can imagine his long and dedicated services to the leather industry during those years which were totally different from the present advanced situation.

The book "Five Decades of Leather" is an excellent chronicle which throws light on many aspects of the leather industry and its stalwarts. I have not come across a book of this standard on the leather industry before. I feel that it is a must read for everyone who wants to get knowledge about the industry. Shri Sankaran relates so many things in the book which are thought provoking and make us think with all seriousness. The fact is that only those tanners who wanted to progress and adopted the new progressive policy of the government have been successful and even made others connected with the industry successful. There must be people to show the direction in every field of activity and more so in trade and industry. Shri Sankaran was close with Dr. Nayudamma, the then director of the CLRI. Once they went together to meet tanners in North Arcot district. Let us hear about it from the author himself. He says inter alia as follows:

PERNAMBUT VISIT

"Once he (Dr.Nayudamma) planned a tour of tanneries in North Arcot district and invited me to join.......In Pernambut we stayed for the night at the Bangalow of Hajee Mohammed Ghouse saheb. Next day we visited the tannery. Dr. Nayudamma suggested that Hajee saheb should switch over to finished leather as his tannery was in those days well known for the quality of E.I. cow hides.He said "Doctor saheb, now whenever your scientists want they come to me but if I change over to finished leather, I have to be at their mercy, waiting for their convenience. Do you want me to change over? Nayudamma heartily laughed and asked him to continue as he was."”

After reading this I felt that perhaps the late respected tanner was living in his own world and failed to grab the excellent suggestion from the President Award winning scientist. I still remember how CLRI was struggling to make tanners change over to better tanning and make progress in the leather industry. Time was there when the CLRI was appealing to students to join its diploma courses in leather technology and other subjects conducted by it. There were very few students. Those days were totally different. Today CLRI is in a far better position and industrialists from different parts of the country approach it for so many services at its disposal. Its role for making the leather and leather products industry what it is today is really great and praise-worthy.

I am giving below another interesting but unfortunate incident mentioned by the author for the information of readers:
:
INFORMATION CELL IN PERIAMET

"There were some complaints from the industry that CLRI was rather far away and tanners did not find time to go to the institute for information. This came to the notice of Dr. Nayudamma. He asked N.S. Mani, Public Relations Officer and me to be available at the premises of the Southern India Skin and Hide Merchants and Tanners Association, Periamet from 3 to 5 P.M. on a particular day of the week so that tanners could meet Mr. Mani and ask for information. Later Mani would get the replies from CLRI and offer them. We patiently waited for visitors but none would come! After a few weeks we called it a day and stopped this service."

Is there any big change now? Of course things are better now, but not as bright as they should be. Even now many important meetings and get-togethers of organisations like CLRI, Council for Leather Exports, etc. are attended by only a few routine members who are big industrialists and or holding high posts. A glance in the proceedings of the meetings will prove it! The meeting called for by the CLRI to discuss the norms for identification of finished leather also drew only a few tanners and exporters.

Shri Sankaran deals in detail with many interesting happenings under headings ILF-CLRI Co-operation, The Leather Salon, The Leather Club, The Fashion Parade, Introducing Humane Slaughter, Cheap Shoes for Children, Ministerial Patronage, etc. We have to read the book to enjoy all this. The taste of the pudding is in the eating!

The history of the development of leather from early years has been given in detail. The author says interestingly that “Lord Shiva wears a tiger skin, uses a deer skin to sit on. Certainly, some process must have been done to them after the animals had died. Can it be assumed that this process in later years was termed “tanning”? ....In the Rig Veda there is reference to animals being skinned. In 1640 Dutch traders seem to have exported leather articles to Japan. But leather as an export item figured in statistics of the Calcutta port only by 1814...”

The author also deals with many aspects of the industry such as industry development, structure and growth, pioneers of the industry, export promotion, service organisation, architects – past and present etc. etc. which are full of interesting and inspiring information. It is difficult for a reader to stop in the middle.
The photo gallery in the book about development of CLRI and photos of the past and present dignitaries of the leather industry with brief but interesting notes about them are really awe inspiring. I felt that the details of the leather industry given in the book are as fascinating as a good novel.

The Central Leather Research Institute and governments in the states and at the centre will do well to make this book available in all libraries to enable all – industrialists, technical experts, businessmen, teachers, research students etc. – to know the history of the leather industry in Tamil Nadu. (VMK in Indian Leather, February 2010)

Read More