My great grandfather Ishwar Dass Baluja, a ‘Patwari’, was a native of Akalgarh (now in Pakistan). He had five sons – Jagan Nath Baluja (my grandfather), Amar Nath Baluja, Chunilal Baluja, Brijlal Baluja and Kundan Lal Baluja. My great grandfather was transferred to Delhi. His eldest son Lala Jagan Nath Baluja accompanied him to Delhi and set-up a ‘Chuna-bhatti’ at Chuna Mandi in Paharganj. After some time Lala Amar Nath Baluja, the second son of Lala Ishwar Dass Baluja, came to Delhi. The credit of Balujas entry into the footwear industry goes to Lala Amar Nath Baluja. One day he came to Chandni Chowk to buy a pair of shoes. But the shopkeeper told him that he could not afford to buy that quality footwear. Lala Amar Nath Baluja felt rebuked. He bought that pair of shoe and decided to open a shoe shop to show that a salesman not only could he buy that pair of shoes but we also could sell footwear in a better way and he made a determination to make quality footwear available to the masses at affordable prices. And true to his determination, Lala Amar Nath Baluja opened a footwear store outside Kucha Ghasiram in Chandni Chowk, Delhi on September 24, 1919 with the active support from his whole family and friends, especially Bhalla Shoe Company of Lahore.