V. Noushad is the founder and managing director of Walkaroo International, one of India’s prominent footwear brands. His journey is closely connected to the story of VKC, the footwear business founded by his father, V.K.C. Mammed Koya. But rather than simply continuing the family business, Noushad eventually took a separate path and built Walkaroo into a large footwear brand of his own.
His story is one of education, experimentation, technology and a willingness to build something beyond what was already established.
From Kozhikode to the Footwear Industry
Noushad was born and brought up in Nallalam, Kozhikode, in a family that was already familiar with the challenges of entrepreneurship. His father had very modest beginnings and later built VKC after experiencing financial setbacks in an earlier business.
Growing up, Noushad was encouraged to understand the value of education and hard work. One piece of advice from his father had a lasting impact on him: whatever profession a person chooses, it should be performed with commitment, but running an industry carries an even greater responsibility because it creates employment and gives a business owner the opportunity to contribute to society.
That idea influenced Noushad’s decision to pursue entrepreneurship.
He studied at GMUP School in Nallalam before completing a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Government Engineering College, Thrissur. He later pursued an M.Tech in Polymer Science at Cochin University of Science and Technology.
His academic background would eventually become an important advantage in the footwear business.
Learning Before Leading
When Noushad completed his engineering degree, he initially wanted to join his father’s business. However, he felt that simply entering the company without developing a specialised skill would not allow him to contribute enough.
His interest in materials and footwear technology grew when his father challenged him with a practical question: could they develop a lighter version of the traditional rubber slipper?
That question led him towards polymer science.
His M.Tech research focused on lightweight footwear, and during the process he visited rubber-manufacturing facilities and studied different materials and production techniques.
He later enrolled for doctoral research at IIT Madras, focusing on footwear-related technology. Although he did not complete the doctorate within his planned period, the research gave him valuable technical knowledge that he would eventually apply to the family business.
Entering VKC
Noushad returned to Kozhikode in 1998 and joined VKC.
At the time, the footwear industry was changing, with materials such as PVC beginning to gain popularity. Using his technical background, he played a role in introducing PVC footwear to the company’s product portfolio.
The move proved significant.
VKC gained an early advantage in the PVC footwear segment in South India, while Noushad and his brother Razak became increasingly involved in expanding the business.
The brothers later introduced EVA footwear, a lightweight and flexible material that offered an alternative to traditional rubber soles. The company subsequently moved into PU footwear as well.
For Noushad, technology was not simply about manufacturing a different product. It became a way to understand what consumers wanted and create footwear that was lighter, more comfortable and affordable.
Taking the Brand Beyond Kerala
One of the challenges the family encountered while expanding into Tamil Nadu was distribution.
Instead of waiting for a large dealer network to develop, Noushad took a more direct approach.
He travelled across Tamil Nadu, meeting retailers district by district and introducing them to the company’s products. It was a hands-on approach that helped the business establish relationships with retailers in a new market.
The strategy worked.
The company expanded its manufacturing and distribution footprint beyond Kerala, setting up facilities in locations including Coimbatore, Mysuru, Vapi and Nellore.
By the late 2000s and early 2010s, VKC had developed into a much larger footwear business.
The Birth of Walkaroo
In 2012, Noushad decided to create a new brand.
With financial support from his father, he started Walkaroo International with an initial investment of around ₹12 crore and a workforce of about 500 people.
The idea behind Walkaroo was straightforward: fashionable footwear should not be restricted to consumers in large cities or those willing to pay premium prices.
Noushad wanted to make stylish, comfortable footwear affordable and accessible across India, including smaller towns and villages.
That became one of the central ideas behind Walkaroo.
From a New Brand to a National Footwear Company
Walkaroo’s first manufacturing facility was established in Nellore in 2012.
The brand expanded steadily, adding manufacturing facilities and distribution infrastructure across India. Over time, its footprint grew to include multiple production facilities, warehouses and a large retail network.
Walkaroo’s growth also came from its focus on mass-market footwear. Rather than competing only in premium segments, the company concentrated on products that could reach a much wider section of consumers.
The strategy helped turn Walkaroo into a recognisable footwear brand across India.
The company has also developed an export business, particularly in Middle Eastern markets.
Building a Large Distribution Network
For a footwear company operating in the mass market, manufacturing alone is not enough. The products have to reach customers across thousands of locations.
Walkaroo developed a broad distribution network involving dealers and retail outlets across the country.
Its product range now extends across sandals, slippers, shoes and other everyday footwear, giving the brand a presence across different consumer segments.
The company has also created employment through its manufacturing operations and works with external vendors involved in production.
Technology, Scale and Sustainability
Noushad’s technical background has continued to influence his approach to the footwear business.
From experimenting with materials during his academic years to introducing PVC, EVA and PU products, technology has remained an important part of his professional journey.
The company has also highlighted initiatives involving renewable energy, water recycling and afforestation across its manufacturing locations.
For a business operating at large scale, such measures have become increasingly important as manufacturers look for ways to reduce their environmental footprint.
The Influence of His Father
Despite building Walkaroo as an independent brand, Noushad continues to speak about his father as his biggest influence.
His father’s own journey—from financial hardship and modest beginnings to establishing VKC—gave Noushad an early understanding of what entrepreneurship could mean.
But perhaps more importantly, his father gave him freedom.
Noushad has described himself as someone who entered the family business with strong technical knowledge but limited understanding of finance. Rather than controlling every decision, his father allowed him to learn through experience and take responsibility.
That freedom helped him develop from a technology-focused professional into a business leader.
A Different Approach to Family Business
Walkaroo’s story is also interesting because it shows how the next generation of a family business can create something independently.
Noushad could have simply continued expanding VKC. Instead, he took the experience, knowledge and industry understanding he had gained and used them to establish a new brand with its own identity.
The result was Walkaroo.
His journey demonstrates that being part of a successful family business does not necessarily mean remaining within the same brand. Sometimes, the next generation can create a new chapter while carrying forward the lessons of the previous one.
The Journey Ahead
From studying polymer science and researching footwear materials to travelling across Tamil Nadu to meet retailers and eventually establishing Walkaroo as a major Indian footwear brand, V. Noushad’s career has been shaped by a combination of technical knowledge and entrepreneurial ambition.
His story is not simply about inheriting a place in the footwear industry.
It is about finding his own role within it.
The lessons he learned from his father’s struggles, the technical expertise he developed through education and research, and his willingness to work directly with customers and retailers all played a part in building Walkaroo.
What started as an idea to make fashionable footwear affordable eventually became a large-scale business with a national presence.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, perhaps the most interesting part of Noushad’s story is that his biggest advantage was not simply the family business he came from. It was his decision to learn, experiment and eventually build something of his own.
