IIGJ Celebrates Its 16th Convocation Ceremony, Honouring 36 Graduating Students
The Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery, Mumbai, an initiative under the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), celebrated its 16th Convocation Ceremony, recognising and honouring the achievements of 36 graduating students, who completed the rigorous 3-year B.A. in Gems & Jewellery programme. The prestigious event featured Chief Guest Somasundaram PR, Regional CEO of the World Gold Council, who presented certificates and trophies to the distinguished group of graduates. He was accompanied on the dais by Milan Chokshi, Chairman of IIGJ; Leena Amin, National Training Manager at De Beers Forevermark; Debasish Biswas, Chief Executive Officer of IIGJ; and Bharat Vaswani, Head of Institute, IIGJ Mumbai. In recognition of outstanding academic performance, Lucky Choudhari was awarded the title of Best Student in the batch, while the 1st Runner Up prize was bestowed upon Diya Rathod, and Shreya Pawar was honoured as the 2nd Runner Up. Commending IIGJ for the event, Somasundaram PR urged students to seize the abundant opportunities in the gem & jewellery industry. He presented a global perspective, emphasizing gold’s enduring appeal as an investment not only in India and China but also in countries like Germany. Discussing the transformation from the days of the Gold Control Act to the present, he stressed the need to leverage the India’s emphasis on technology, education, and skills. Somasundaram encouraged students to innovate by creating smart jewellery that merges intelligent design with health benefits and tracking capabilities. He emphasised that India should be a jeweller to the world and showcase its skills in both domestic and international markets. Imparting words of advice, Milan Chokshi shared valuable insights, “Ensure that whatever you create or whichever business you embark on bears your distinctive signature. In an industry saturated with homogeneity and generic products, strive to build something uniquely your own. I urge all of you to maintain a connection with the institute, stay in touch with the faculty, and support future students in any way you can. Your contributions will greatly enrich the industry.” During his address, Debasish Biswas encouraged the graduates to take pride in the institute where they spent their formative years. He also advised students to embrace a trait akin to a sponge during their initial years in the workforce, allowing them to absorb knowledge and maintain a steep learning curve. Congratulating the graduates, Leena Amin stressed on the importance of “3 Ps”. She noted that designers must harbour a deep passion about their profession; cultivate a personal identity in terms of design identification; and take pride in their work. “After three years of a splendid journey, we are thrilled that you have successfully graduated. Now is the time to believe in yourselves and promote Brand India,” Bharat Vaswani said in his thank you note. “Compete with yourselves, and rest assured, we have faith in you. You will undoubtedly make us proud in your careers.”
GJEPC Ties Up With Karnataka Social Welfare Department For Training Students At IIGJ Udupi
Dr. Vidyakumari, IAS, Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Udupi inaugurated the first batch of training for the Social Welfare Department at IIGJ Udupi on 9th November 2023. Joining her on the occasion were Mr. Prasanna H, IAS, Chief Executive Officer of Udupi Zilla Panchayat and Ms. Anita, Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department. Mr. Nagaraj Acharya and Mr. Ravichandra Marali of the Implementation Committee were also in attendance. Mr. Koushik, Head of the Institute, gave the outline of the program to the students.
IIGJ Mumbai Completes 20 Years
The anniversary event was attended by Milan Chokshi, Chairman, IIGJ Mumbai and Founder CEO, Moksh; Sanjay Kothari, ex-Chairman, GJEPC and GJSCI; Debasish Biswas, CEO, IIGJ India; and Apoorva Mehta, Director of the Board, IIGJ Mumbai and Partner, Touchstone Fine Jewellery. They addressed the students, faculty and staff of the institute and shared their insights and experiences. Biswas highlighted the vision of the founder members led by IIGJ Founder Chairman the late Tanvirkumar Chokshi, who foresaw the need for trained gem and jewellery professionals for the fast-growing industry back in 2003. Biswas also outlined plans for the expansion and outreach of the institute and reaffirmed its commitment to serve the industry. Milan Chokshi described the rapid changes taking place in the gem and jewellery industry and the importance of IIGJ’s role in nurturing future generations of jewellery professionals. He urged the students to use their skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on the industry and to give back to the industry and contribute to its growth and development. Sanjay Kothari, who has headed GJEPC and GJSCI in the past, and is a founder member of IIGJ Mumbai, shared fond memories of the institute’s legacy. He spoke about the early days, when the institute was still an idea shared by a few visionary diamantaires. He recalled how donors contributed the entire sum for building the institute in minutes upon being assured that the institute would be of great help to the industry and that the founder members would always be involved in its progress. Apoorva Mehta congratulated the institute on completing two decades and spoke about the high expectations from IIGJ Mumbai alumni upon entering the gem and jewellery industry. He reiterated that IIGJ Mumbai students were fortunate to get the benefits of state-of-the-art facilities at the institute as well as the wealth of opportunities available to them on the basis of the name of the institute itself. The institute also recognised the members of faculty and staff who completed 10 years and 20 years of service. A total of four faculty and two non-teaching staff were honoured by the dignitaries present on the occasion.
GJEPC and IIGJ Udupi’s Intensive CAD Training Program for Jewellery Designers
The GJEPC SEZ Sub-Committee, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ) Udupi, has spearheaded a cutting-edge CAD rendering training program. Held from 27th to 31st May, this initiative brought together designers for an intensive, 40-hour online course aimed at mastering Keyshot software. The training, delivered via Zoom, featured four hours of daily instruction via Keyshot. This immersive format included live demonstrations and hands-on practice. Participants also benefited from continuous support beyond class hours through a WhatsApp group. The curriculum covered essential topics for modern jewellery design, such as creating realistic gold colour renderings with 18 shades of gold and advanced editing techniques for diamond rendering. Participants learned to enhance their jewellery renders by adjusting environments and lighting sources, creating realistic animations, and developing photorealistic images of their 3D CAD models. The program also introduced plugins and additional resources to further enhance rendering capabilities, including HDRI maps and materials for gold and diamonds. The impact of this training was evident in the impressive student works produced. Participants created high-quality renderings and animations, showcasing their newly acquired skills. These works, formatted in true colour with alpha transparency and varying resolutions, highlighted the advanced techniques and attention to detail imparted during the course. Participants enthusiastically praised the course’s effectiveness, highlighting its significant positive impact on their professional skills. The training was described as highly engaging and interactive, with many expressing high satisfaction and some rating it as exceptional. While most participants found the resources provided to be adequate, there were constructive suggestions for potentially allocating more time to complete tasks. The instructor received widespread praise for clear and effective instructions. While opinions varied slightly on the effectiveness of online training versus traditional methods, the consensus was that the program led to substantial skill improvement. Valuable suggestions were offered for enhancing future iterations of the program, such as extending the duration to cover more advanced topics, increasing the frequency of courses to stay current with evolving technology, and considering opportunities for follow-up sessions. Additionally, there was interest in exploring the possibility of incorporating in-person sessions to further enrich the learning experience. By equipping designers with cutting-edge skills, GJEPC and IIGJ Udupi are paving the way for innovative and superior jewellery designs, ensuring that Indian craftsmanship continues to shine brightly on the global stage.
IIGJ Jaipur Conducts First Convocation, 19 Students Awarded Degrees
The Indian Institute of Gems and Jewellery (IIGJ) Jaipur celebrated its first convocation on 26th July, with 19 students from the inaugural batch receiving their degrees. The ceremony was graced by the presence of Shri Kalraj Mishra, Hon’ble Governor of Rajasthan and Chancellor, Vishvakarma Skills University, Jaipur, who conferred the degrees. Col. Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore, Cabinet Minister, Government of Rajasthan, was the chief guest for the event. Other dignitaries including Dr Nawal Agarwal, Chairman, IIGJ Jaipur; Shri Sudhir Kasliwal, Secretary, IIGJ Jaipur; and Shri Nirmal Bardiya, GJEPC’s Rajasthan Regional Chairman were also present on the occasion. The degrees were awarded to students who completed their programs in interior, fashion, and jewellery skills under the Fashion Department. Shri Anish Kappil, Dean, IIGJ Jaipur, announced the names of the degree recipients.
IIGJ Concludes GLIMPZ ’24 Awards Ceremony
The Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ) Mumbai successfully hosted the annual GLIMPZ ’24 Awards Ceremony on 3rd August, 2024. The exhibition celebrated the creative achievements of the 16 students comprising the graduating batch of B.A. in Gems & Jewellery Design (2021-2024). Mr. Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC, served as the Chief Guest. He was joined by dignitaries Mr. Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, and Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC. The event was facilitated by Mr. Debasish Biswas, CEO, IIGJ India, who is also the interim Head of Institute of Mumbai. Mr. Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC emphasised the crucial role of young designers in shaping the industry’s future. “Your innovative ideas and unique approach are exactly what our industry requires to stay ahead and evolve,” Shah stated. He further encouraged the graduates to aim for global markets, stating, “As emerging designers, it is vital for you to hone your skills for not only the Indian market but also the diverse global markets we serve.” Mr. Debasish Biswas welcomed the dignitaries, students, faculties, alumni members and industry professionals present in the audience, and the event commenced with the national anthem. In his brief inaugural address, he shared glimpses of how IIGJ Mumbai was founded in 2003, while highlighting snippets of success stories of the institute during the past 20 years. Addressing the students, he said “you are the next generation leaders of the gems & jewellery industry, and you should keep the flag of IIGJ flying high in decades to come.” Mr. Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, GJEPC remarked, “IIGJ Mumbai has been playing an important role for more than 20 years, nurturing the talent much needed for our industry. We as a sector should promote ‘Design in India’ and export our designs worldwide. I am sure Institutes like IIGJ will play an important role in this transformation.” Mr. Milan Chokshi, Chairman, IIGJ, praised the students and assured them of the vast opportunities that await them. Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC, added, “The jewellery industry is on the cusp of a revolution. With a projected domestic market size of $140 billion dollars by 2030, it’s an unprecedented opportunity for young designers. You are entering an industry that is gaining the recognition it deserves, much like the fashion industry. The potential for growth and impact is immense. Your creativity can shape the future of jewellery, just as fashion designers have redefined the apparel industry. Embrace this moment, work hard, and be relentless in your pursuit of innovation.”
