Shree Khodiyar Engineering Works

Our workshop is out in Vavdi at Survey No. 19, specifically Plot No. 56. If you’re driving on Gondal Road near Rajkot, we are right behind the Tata Motors building off the N. H. 8-B. It’s a dusty part of town, but that’s where the engineering gets done at Shree Khodiyar Engineering Works. The floor is mostly concrete and covered in metal shavings and oil spots. We’ve got lathes and welding gear set up in rows. It’s loud when the grinders are going, so we usually have to shout a bit to be heard. We’ve been here for a while and the routine doesn't change much. We show up early, get the machines warmed up, and start on the day's projects. We aren't the type to wear suits. Most of us have grease on our shirts by noon. It’s hard work, especially when the Rajkot heat hits in the middle of the day, but we’re used to it. We keep a fridge full of cold water in the corner. Sometimes a customer comes by to check on a part, and we just show them what we’re doing right there on the workbench. There isn't a fancy showroom or anything. You just see the work as it is. We take things one job at a time and try to make sure the measurements are right. If something isn't perfect, we fix it before it goes out the door. It is a simple way of working.