Muktamani Devi

Muktamani Devi (born in December 1958), also known as Moirangthem Muktamani Devi, is an innovator and entrepreneur from the Indian State of Manipur who, from humble beginnings, founded a firm to manufacture hand knitted woolen shoes. The shoes are manufactured in Mukta Shoes Industry, established in 1990 and located in Kakching, Manipur. The firm is registered with the District Industries Center, Thoubal under wool and knitting embroidery section.

Muktamani Devi, born in December 1958 and hailing from Kakching Moirangthem, Manipur, was raised by her widowed mother. She was married when she was only 17 years old. Muktamani used to work in a paddy field in the day and sell homemade snacks in the evening. She also used to knit carry bags and hair bands at night and would sell them to earn some extra money. Her initiation to the world of entrepreneurship was accidental. It happened in 1989. When her daughter requested a new pair of shoes to replace her old worn-out shoes, unable to raise the money required to buy a new pair of shoes, Muktamani knitted woolen shoes for her daughter. These hand-knitted shoes caught the attention of the class teacher and friends and they demanded to make similar shoes for themselves. Muktamani immediately realized the opportunity and decided to start a small unit for the commercial production of hand-knitted woolen shoes. She founded the Mukta Shoes Industry, and in due course, due to sheer hard work in promoting the products, the products of Mukta Shoes Industry found their way to national and international markets.