What Is 'Bha'? Know About This 'Indian Shoe Sizing System' And Why Do People Need It

In 2021, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade along with the Central Leather Research Institute collaborated to develop an ‘Indian footwear Sizing system’ for the Indian feet.

Bha: The New Indian Footwear Sizing System (Representational Image) ( Image Source :Getty )

Does your pair of shoes fit perfectly? Well, even if it does, it's not the same for most people. There is something amiss when it comes to our shoe sizes- either its slightly big or slightly small, maybe a bit narrow or a bit wide- but we have adjusted our feet to the one that fits close to perfect, yet not perfect. This might be because of the shoe size that we normally use, which is as per the US or the UK norms. Indian feet are of a different shape. After years of using misfit shoes, we are finally set to have something which can be perfect for our feet. 

In December 2021, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) along with the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) collaborated to develop an ‘Indian footwear Sizing system’ for the Indian feet. In accordance with this, a pan-India survey was conducted recently to determine how effective it is and a report was submitted to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for approval.

Foot Issues: The Need For A Well-Fitted Footwear For Indians

A number of foot issues arise by using ill-fitted shoes, some of which leading to long term bone heath problems as well.

Dr MS Purkait, Medical Superintendent at Techno India DAMA Hospital told ABP Live, "Shoes that are poorly fitting can create discomfort in pressure points causing blisters, corns, calluses and even ingrown toenails. Over a period of time this can lead to misshapen feet and defective gait. It can limit one's ability to move and poor quality of life."

"Wearing excessively tight shoes can lead to conditions like unions and hammertoes .Wearing bigger size shoes increases the risk of foot injury, chances of falling and deshape the normal arch of the foot making a person be flat footed, especially if not corrected in childhood. Long time use of  improperly fitting of shoes can lead to mal alignment of joints like ankle, knees, hip and even spine," added Dr Purkait.

Creating well-fitting shoes for India's diverse population has been a focus under the 'Make in India' initiative by the Government of India. To make this possible, the CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI), supported by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, undertook a comprehensive nationwide survey. This survey utilised advanced 3D Digital Imaging technology to gather precise data on foot dimensions across different regions of India.

The objective was to establish a standardised Indian Footwear Sizing System, ensuring that footwear tailored to Indian feet would provide optimal comfort and support. By aligning shoe sizes with the unique contours of Indian feet, this initiative aims to promote foot health and alleviate common foot-related issues.

Name Of The Indian Shoe Size:

The name of the ‘Indian footwear Sizing system’ is proposed to be 'Bha' standing for 'Bharat' and is expected to replace US and UK sizing systems by 2025. Bha is said to consider both the length and width of the feet in order to make the perfect shoe. The user trials will be conducted for about one year. It will involve about 10,000 people in the 5-55 age group, and the results of these trials will be closely monitored.

“We are bringing out the customisation for Indians, which will help to improve their comfort. For trials, we are planning to work with mould manufacturers and then join hands with companies for the same. We will be doing user based trials for about 10,000 people and monitor them for a year. We should be able to launch the Indian footwear sizing system by 2025,” K J Sreeram, the director of CLRI told Hindustan Times.

What Are The Footwear Sizes As Per 'Bha':

‘Bha’ proposes eight footwear sizes catering to different age groups, ranging from infants to adults. They are the following:

• I – infants (0 to 1 year)
• II – babies (1 to 3 years)
• III – small children (4 to 6 years)
• IV – children (7 to 11 years)
• V – girls (12 to 13 years)
• VI – boys (12 to 14 years)
• VII – women (14 years and above)
• VIII – men (15 years and above)

How The Audience Reacted To 'Bha':

As the news about the new Indian shoe sizing system reached far and wide, netizens wondered what it would be all about. While some had genuine speculations about this system, others merely took at for fun. 

Users on Reddit sparked interesting conversations about this sizing system with many wondering why is it named 'Bha'. One of them said, "Why not call it IN or BH... Bha sounds so off."

Suggesting an alternative to 'Bha' another user wrote, "We can do better by having a three digit system like 8-4-3. Eight will be the size, 4 will be width, and 3 will be height. Main material used to make the shoe can be indicated using a letter like "L for leather", so it becomes 8-4-3-L.There can be one number to measure the softness of the sole like 8-4-3-L-2. And one number for the flexibility of the shoe as some are hard while some made of rubber is flexy. 843-L25."

Expressing concerns about the inplementation of this sytem, a third user wrote, "People here just blindly happy that we are being recognized or endorsed separately. How will this be implemented? How will affect the companies and the manufactures and the users. How will the people adapt to it.. How will they know their BHA? Do we need to change everything and get validation for everything?"

What Shoe Manufactureres Have To Say:

Well, the above concerns may be something which a lot of us are wondering. Also, will our shoe size in 'Bha' be bigger or smaller than the ones we use? To answer these questions, ABP Live spoke to Harshwardhan Patwardhan who is the founder of Chappers and Gaurav Chopra who is the Founder of Gnist.

Harshwardhan said, "The primary reason for developing a new size standard derives from the notable differences between European and Indian populations' foot morphology. Indian feet are usually wider and shorter than European feet, which are usually longer and thinner. As a result, Indian customers frequently find that footwear made to fit UK sizes is too small because these items have narrower, longer dimensions, which can cause discomfort during fitting."

In adiditon to this, there is also the problem of sizing. Highlighting this, Gaurav Chopra said, "US and UK shoe sizes follow different metrics, and they might not always align perfectly with Indian sizing standards. This leads to confusion when ordering shoes online or shopping abroad, as the sizes might not translate accurately for Indians."

Talking about cultural preferences, Gaurav also mentioned, "Traditional Indian footwear like mojaris or juttis have their own sizing conventions, which can differ significantly from Western shoes. So, when Indians switch to US and UK sizing, it may seem like navigating a new dimension where their usual reference points no longer apply."

"Additionally, for males wearing lace-up shoes, having to tighten the laces to make up for differences in size might restrict blood flow to the foot, making the discomfort worse," added Harshwardhan.

This imbalance causes serious problems in India, where people are forced to buy larger sizes just to fit the width of their feet, even though their feet are a bit shorter, leading to a number of foot issues. Such challenges get worse by the lack of an appropriate standard.

Talking about how 'Bha' will help the audience, Harshwardhan said, "In practice, this means that a shoe labelled UK8 will typically correspond to a lower size under the Bha system, offering a more precise and comfortable fit for Indian customers."