Face in the crowd

Sitting in his pokey six- by-two-and-a-half-feet shop, situated on the side of the staircase leading to the basement of Wonderland on M G...

Sitting in his pokey six- by-two-and-a-half-feet shop, situated on the side of the staircase leading to the basement of Wonderland on M G Road, Rajesh Valse is a picture of concentration as he puts together a brand new pair of Levi8217;s. A few minutes later, the owner of the jeans walks in to collect the pair, and turning it over exclaims, 8220;But you have not altered it!8221; Rajesh then painstakingly explains how he stitched the jeans back after alteration with the original thread, to retain its authentic look, but the loose fit had been tightened, as per his wishes. And as the customer departs satisfied, Rajesh is all smiles. 8220;When you alter a pair of jeans and do not spoil the original look in the bargain, to the extent that the customers at first believe it has been untouched, it8217;s a job well done,8221; he grins.

The business of alterations has been in the Valse family for the past five generations. However, while the earlier Valses did alterations for all kinds of clothes from their home in Pimpri, when Rajesh joined the family business, he moved to Camp. And went in for specialisation. 8220;I zeroed in on jeans, as they seemed the most popular attire amongst people of all ages and were also the most common readymade item to come in for alterations,8221; explains this 27-year-old, who also happens to be a science graduate.

8220;I just could not get a job that suited my academic qualifications. Then, around the same time, my brother, who was in the merchant navy, wanted to give up sailing and do something ashore. He offered to put up this shop for me. It8217;s amusing how the same people who had once interviewed me for jobs and rejected me, frequently come to get alterations done, and end up raving about my talent. They don8217;t remember me but I recognise them instantly,8221; he grins.

So were the years in college a waste? 8220;Never. Qualifications are never a waste. In my case, my education comes in handy because I have many foreign clients and as compared to other tailors, I can converse better with them and convince them of the work needed to be done,8221; he emphasises. In fact, Valse has even enrolled in Symbiosis for an LLB course this year. 8220;It8217;s important to have educational degrees. To me, they are more valuable than money.8221;

Claiming to be the only jeans specialist8217; in town, Rajesh has no qualms about conceding that he is perhaps a trifle more expensive than others. 8220;But that8217;s because my quality is unrivalled. I save every piece of cloth that remains of the altered jeans, and use them for patching up another similar pair to avoid colour difference in the altered one. At times, I even add a design to make it better. I have this flair for alterations actually.8221; A classic case of it all being in the jeans?

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More