In a significant step towards strengthening India’s footwear manufacturing ecosystem and developing an industry-ready workforce, FDDI and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 20 July 2026 for the operationalization of the FDDI–SIPCOT Industry Integrated Footwear Skill Development Centre at the Mega Leather, Footwear & Accessories Cluster (MLFAC), Panapakkam, Ranipet.
The MoU was signed by Mr. S. A. Raman, IAS, Managing Director, SIPCOT, and Mr. Vivek Sharma, IRS, Managing Director, FDDI, in the presence of senior officials from both organizations.
From FDDI, Mr. Sundaresan M., Executive Director, FDDI Chennai Campus, and Mr. Dinesh Kumar K, Senior Faculty Grade-I, FDDI Chennai Campus, were present. Representing SIPCOT were Ms. A. Catherine Saranya, IAS, Executive Director; Ms. Diana J, Assistant General Manager (P-IX); and Mr. Chidambaram Ganesan, Project Management Unit (PMU).
Under the partnership, SIPCOT will provide the training infrastructure and modern footwear manufacturing machinery, while FDDI will serve as the Knowledge and Operational Partner, responsible for curriculum development, training delivery, assessment, certification, industry engagement and overall centre management.
The proposed centre will have the capacity to train up to 180 trainees per month in key footwear manufacturing operations, including Cutting, Stitching and Lasting, thereby addressing the skilled manpower requirements of industries within the Ranipet footwear manufacturing cluster.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen industry–academia partnership, employment generation and industrial productivity, while creating a sustainable, industry-integrated skill development ecosystem and reinforcing FDDI’s role as a key knowledge partner for industry-led skill development initiatives.
