Santoshi Maa Iron Foundry (P) Ltd.

We operate out of Lathikata in the Suidhi area. Santoshi Maa Iron Foundry (P) Ltd. is a heavy place to work. There is always the sound of metal hitting metal and the roar of the furnaces. It gets very hot inside, so we keep all the big doors open to let the air circulate. The ground is covered in black dust and bits of iron scrap. We wear heavy boots and thick clothes even when the weather is boiling. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it. We have a small office near the entrance where the paperwork gets handled. It’s the only room with a fan that actually works well. Most of the men have been working here for a decade or more. We know the machines and their quirks. Sometimes a part breaks and we have to fix it ourselves because waiting for a mechanic takes too long. We produce a lot of parts that go out to different towns. Trucks come in and out of the yard all day long, stirring up the dirt. It’s not a pretty place, but it’s where we earn our living. We start early when the sun is just coming up and the air is still a bit cool. By noon, the whole place is humming with heat and noise. We just keep going until the shift is done. It's noisy and messy but we are proud of what we make here every day.