Sports Shoes

I remember the first pair of sports shoes I had seen on my friends' feet in school. North Star from Bata. Pradipta Dutta in our class had a pair of them. Deep blue and yellow. They looked lovely and extremely desirable. Debasish Nag - one class junior to us - also had a pair. His was green and yellow. That wasn't as nice but the brand was just as desirable. I think this was in class eight or nine.

The Asics Gel - best pair of sports shoes I have ever worn

I wanted to own a pair of those. The deep blue ones perhaps. But the price was prohibitive. I think Rs 80 for a pair. It was really high for a pair of sports shoes. My father's annual budget on my shoes was Rs 30. So it remained a dream. A dream till some years later I bought a pair of sports shoes. Probably with my own money earned from giving tuitions to younger boys. It was a pair of grey Power Jogger. I remember buying them from Bata Lake Market and I came home floating in them.

The memory of that first walk in the first pair of sports shoes is really dear to me. I came home with a new bounce. Ever since I have bought many pairs of sports shoes of all brands available in India but none gave that feeling of the first walk.

A very good pair of Asics (Size 42.5) - sent by Chenka from England

Something similar happened when I changed from Indian tyres to four Michelins in my car. It gave me the same kind of floating feeling.

My fetish for sports shoes brands started with Lotto. I had a pair of white ones and subsequently bought many. Rajiv Gandhi made them famous after his assassination. I have owned Adidas, Nike and Reebok. In 2010 I ended up buying two pairs of Asics. The red Asics is by far the best pair of sports shoes I have ever worn. In terms of fit, comfort and support.

Euro Size 42 - they fit me the snuggest