Film Star Akshay Kumar to design Maharashtra Police Shoes.

The Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis has urged Akshay Kumar of Bollywood fame to design formal footwear’s for the Maharashtra Police Team, after Akshay Kumar had reiterated that the with the existing shoes, the police force is finding it difficult in running while discharging their duties.

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar raised a concern regarding the Maharashtra Police’s footwear in a conversation with the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the inaugural ceremony of FCCI Frames 2025, the Annual Convention on Business of Media and Entertainment, on Tuesday.

Akshay Kumar urged the CM Devendra Fadnavis to induce changes in the footwear used by Maharashtra Police personnel. Drawing attention to the physical strain faced by policemen, Akshay Kumar said, “Sir, this isn’t related to the film industry, but I’ve noticed the shoes Mumbai Police wear. They have heels inside, and it’s not easy to run in them. As an athlete and sportsman, I understand that this can cause back problems or even slipped discs when police have to run“.

Akshay urged the CM to change the footwear of the Maharashtra Police; “If their shoes could be redesigned, it would be highly beneficial for the Maharashtra Police allowing them to run faster than any criminal”.

CM Devendra Fadnavis responded positively to Akshay’s suggestion, saying that it has been a long-overlooked issue. “You’ve made a very good point. No one had ever brought this to my attention before“, Fadnavis said. He further noted that police personnel often perform drills and field duties wearing the same formal shoes, which are not suited for rigorous movement. Fadnavis also invited Akshay to directly contribute to the redesign of the new police footwear.

“You are an action hero; you know what kind of shoes are best for running and physical work. If you can help us with the design or suggest innovations, we will definitely implement them“, said the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at FICCI Frames 2025.

Kumar responded enthusiastically, offering to create a prototype for review. He shared his hope that improved footwear could lead to substantial improvements in the everyday efficiency and well-being of

Maharashtra’s police officers Maharashtra s police officers.

A detailed study –

Vide a notification: 37/01/2016 – PSO (Uniform) dated 05/09/2017, the Director General of Police, Maharashtra – his goodself Dr. Meeran C. Borwankar had notified all the Police Personnel that,

“In order to make improvements in the existing Police Uniform, the BPR&D has conducted a Research Study under the 12th Five Year Plan and prepared a Technical Report on “Smart Policemen -Developing Designing and Trial of High Performance Uniform Articles and Accessories” in association with the National Design Business Incubator (NDBI), National Institute of Design, Paldi, Ahmedabad. The report covers all the important aspects of Police Uniform (Working Uniform, Winter Jacket, Raincoat, Cap, Shoes, Belt, etc) including their improvement and recommendations”.

Under the aegis of the Smart Policemen Project, the learned Director General had strived to undertake design of Police Uniforms by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, which has been accredited by an act of the Parliament, as “Institution of national Importance”.

According to the Smart Policemen Project, different type of shoes were designed for separate tasks. The research team had laid emphasis on the following, as found in page no 55 of the Report:

• Leather shoes are very unconditional for long duty hours. Both in their office, and on the streets, they wear the same shoes, which becomes difficult to run in a law & order situation.

• Breathable material and spongy sole is needed for street duty. Jungle boots are used by lot of Police Officers, while Ankle Boots are worn for ceremonial purposes.  

What is a matter of concern is – someone who is not in any administrative capacity of the Union or State Government has directly criticised the attire in a public forum, which is a severe breach of security.

Has Akshay Kumar delved into the above mentioned developments, and have outspoken in the pretext of bolstering his matinee idol charisma?

Moreover, the honourable chief minister who is the custodian of his people’s safety should have discouraged the actor in raising such sensitive issue in a public outreach. In addition, by asking the actor to design shoes, Devendra Fadnavis has undermined the efficacy of the stake holders associated in such a formidable task.

Suvro Sanyal – Team Maverick