A stitch in time saves nine, goes the adage. Today, a stitch can go viral, as a local cobbler found out after mending the sandal of Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani here today.

The minister flew into the city to address a session at Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation, and a strap on her sandal snapped as she alighted from the plane, party sources said. On her way to the foundation, she looked out for a cobbler found one near Perur, some 16 km from the airport.

The minister, along with BJP Tamil Nadu general secretary Vanati Srinivasan, got out of the car, handed over the sandal to the cobbler, and sat on a stool provided by him, while he got to work.

While the cobbler said that the mending charges would be Rs 10, the minister placed a Rs 100 note near the cash box and told him in Tamil, “Change venda (keep the change)”, repeating what Vanati told him.

The episode has since gone viral on social media and the people appreciated the gesture of Smriti.