Encouraged by Rahul Gandhi, Sultanpur cobbler preparing to launch own brand 'Ramchet Mochi'
Sultanpur (UP) (PTI): Ramchet, a cobbler from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, is preparing to launch his own brand -- 'Ramchet Mochi'.
And the man who played a key role in Ramchet's transformation was Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP from Rae Bareli, who gifted him a machine to help in his work.
In February, Rahul Gandhi invited Ramchet to 10, Janpath in Delhi, where the latter presented his handcrafted slippers to Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Most recently, Rahul Gandhi flew Ramchet to Mumbai, where he introduced him to Sudheer Rajbhar, an established leather businessman and founder of the design brand Chamar Studio, a meeting that gave a major push to 60-year-old Ramchet's passage from a small-time cobbler to a budding entrepreneur.
The Congress leader also shared photos of his meeting with Ramchet on X on Thursday (March 6).
Ramchet returned to his shop in Babuganj with renewed aspirations after his Mumbai trip.
For someone who never boarded a flight before, Ramchet was left deeply impressed by Rajbhar's thriving leather business, which exports products worldwide.
"There I saw innovative designs for bags and sandals, many of which used wood and rubber. I also made purses and experimented with machine-based designs. Rahul Gandhi and Sudheer Rajbhar appreciated my craftsmanship, and motivated me to take my work to the next level," he said.
Ramchet is now teaching his son the craft and is determined to establish his own brand, 'Ramchet Mochi'.
And he credits Rahul Gandhi for his continued support.
Ramchet’s business has expanded significantly since his meeting with Rahul Gandhi last year. He set up a machine in a rented space, where he now makes shoes with the help of two to three artisans.
His son also joins in for a few hours each day to learn the trade.
Once earning a mere Rs 100-150 from repairs, Ramchet now claims to make thousands each month.
In a post on X on March 6, Rahu Gandhi praised Rajbhar for embodying the journey of countless Dalit youth -- talented and full of ideas, yet lacking access to opportunities.
"Unlike many, Sudheer built his own network, recognising the skills of Dharavi's artisans and creating a globally recognised brand. His success shows how traditional craftsmanship and modern entrepreneurship can empower artisans," the Congress leader wrote, hoping that the model is replicated across India.
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Trump pauses Project Freedom, claims great progress for final agreement with Iran
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump has suspended “Project Freedom,” to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming progress in negotiations with Iran toward an agreement to end the war.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said, “Great progress has been made toward a complete and final agreement with representatives of Iran.”
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump said.
Project Freedom was launched on Monday to escort ships, stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, out to safety. Trump had announced the operation on Sunday and the US Central Command began implementing it the next day.
However, the Project led to friction in the vicinity of the narrow seaway, a key route for transporting one-fifth of the global oil supplies, with the UAE claiming that its ships were attacked by Iran. The US also claimed to have destroyed several Iranian small boats.
Trump’s statement on Truth Social came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28, had concluded as its objectives have been achieved.
"Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation. We're not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace. What @POTUS would prefer is a deal... that is, so far, not the route that Iran has chosen," Rubio told a press conference at the White House on Tuesday.
On Project Freedom, Rubio said the goal was to rescue almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries who were trapped inside the Persian Gulf and left for dead by the Iranian regime.
"This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation, and what that means is very simple: there’s no shooting unless we're shot at first. We’re not attacking them, but if they're attacking us or they’re attacking a ship, you need to respond to that," Rubio said.
