Growing up in the 1960s and 70s was different from childhood today, especially for those of us in middle-class families who lived a hand-to-mouth existence. Unlike the present-day kids who have a dizzying variety of footwear – school shoes, formal shoes and sneakers, our world of shoes was far simpler. We had just one kind: school shoes – a single pair of black leather and another of white canvas, called ‘PT shoes’ in those days. At home, the ubiquitous footwear was rubber chappals, colloquially called ‘kenchi’, a stark contrast to the array of slippers and flip-flops children wear today.
Our universe revolved around Bata. Year after year, we wore the same iconic design- black shoes with laces for boys and buckled shoes for girls. The size changed but all through our school years, the design remained constant as the North Star. Wearing a brand-new pair of shiny shoes on our feet, we felt on top of the world, though the sheen lasted barely for a day.
Old or new, shoes had to shine. The daily polishing ritual – much disliked– had to be strictly adhered to. There were, of course, days when our shoes lacked sheen because we skipped the routine or settled for a hurried swipe. That invited a reprimand. Morning assembly was the moment of reckoning. As the teachers marched down the lines for inspection, many of us would sheepishly remember attempting the last ditch ‘spit-shine’– a quick dab of saliva and a vigorous rub against the back of a calf muscle to bring some semblance of shine.
Beyond the black leather were the PT shoes, white unisex pairs with laces worn on Saturdays. These white canvas shoes were a logistical nightmare, absolute magnets for grime. One lap around the dusty playground and they looked as if they had been through a coal mine. Cleaning and polishing these canvas shoes was messy, requiring liquid polish that took an eternity to dry. Early on in life we learnt jugaad, a resourceful, flexible approach to problem-solving. When the PT shoes were not polished, we resorted to a shortcut ‘quick-fix solution’: rubbing chalk over them. The whiteness didn’t last as chalk would wear off quickly and the shoes would soon look dirty again, but if the ‘chalk trick’ helped us sail through the dreaded morning assembly inspection, it counted as a victory.
A smile appears on my face as I recall those small joys of good old school days – the tricks we attempted, the hacks we tried, and the shared experiences that bound us together. This nostalgic walk down memory lane, in my old school shoes, is a comforting reminder of simpler times. While the shoes were humble, the memories remain polished to perfection.
(Published as MIDDLE in Deccan Herald dated 28 March 2026)
Rama dear simplicity of life is really awesome which we enjoy till date 🌹. Marvelous article on childhood memories.
This is so sweet of you dear Neelam to read and leave your encouraging comment.
Grateful always.
Wonderful article . Dear Rama what you have written applies to every middle class kid of your times . It takes one to one one’s own childhood
Enjoyed your article to the hilt . Keep on writing. You have got such a talent to write on simple topics in a flawless format. My blessings.
Thank you so much dear Mrs Luthra . Your words are so inspiring.. in fact , you are an inspiration for all of us – full of life , always bubbling with enthusiasm, learning new things. Your blessings mean a lot to me .
Our very own boots on the ground story. Pure nostalgia. Simple lives with simple pleasures was our childhood. I am amazed Rama at the way you always write such beautiful and relatable articles from simple pleasures like annual Bata shoes and PT shoes. You are a magician. Always a pleasure to read your articles.
Thank you so much Alka for your generous compliment.. Not the I really deserve.. Anything to do with our childhood is nostalgic.
In fact , you are ‘ A born artist’ , a versatile writer penning poetry , prose in both English and Hindi . Yet , you appreciate my humble attempts .
Wow Rama. Great job.You have a real gift for storytelling. Actually your article made me recall my own childhood in such a vivid detail.
Selecting a topic of everyone’s interest and to write on such a simple topic is also an art . God bless you
Ranjana, what a pleasant surprise to see your comment . I know you as a mathematician , a master of figures but never knew you articulate so well .
Absolutely delighted to read your comment. Thank you so much .
Rama, the magician has as usual tricked us into nostalgic memories of Bata school shoes and PT shoes in the good old school days , creating an amusing write up…. hilarious touch comes with coinage of spit shine,and chalk trick quick fix solutions… Keep regaling us dear with your outstanding creations.! God bless 🙌
Don’t know how to react.. over the moon .
I can’t thank you for all your love and encouragement.. means a world to me .
I sometimes wonder how brilliantly you express your extremely well worded views on just normal experiences of life.
Topic Simple:
Execution:Extraordinary
Language:Rich
Expression:Relatable
Outstanding job done Rama
Neelam , I am the one astounded by your ingenuity, appraisal quite like a report card.
Absolutely delighted to get outstanding report from my bright-n-brilliant all-rounder friend.
Thank you so much Neelam .
Rama a beautiful, simple, truthful topic of mundane nature which is full of nostalgic memories. As always you pick a simple topic in which you portray and chain each point with the other almost in a cinematographical manner. That’s your God gifted speciality. Rama I again honorably say that you are given to graces. Col NS Sujlana.
Thanks Narinder for your appreciation. This is nothing but your generosity.. You are always so kind and motivating.
Just stumbled into Facebook and came across your topic which was totally obliterated from my mind. Your recall really rekindled memories those growing days. I remember I would recall bicycles of our time which was of same size unlike nowadays where varying sizes are available. Unlike kids nowadays, how many times we suffered falls to learn balancing the cycle.
Anyway enjoyed your article which exhibits your sharp memory too.