The election process of GJEPC elections for the financial year 2017-2019 for Regional Chairmen, Vice Chairman and Chairman is gaining momentum this year as the entire gems and jewellery industry has come together to campaign for their respective favourite contenders. This year, it’s just not the domestic gems and jewellery industry but the Indian gems and jewellery industry across the globe is campaigning for their respective candidates.

Some of the prime contenders include Pramod Kumar Agrawal from Derewala Industries, regional convener of GJEPC Jaipur and Vipul Shah from Asian Star and ex-chairman of GJEPC for the post of Chairman and Anup Zaveri from Polar Star and Colin Shah from Kama Schachter Jewelry for the post of Vice Chairman respectively. With regard to the post of Chairman, this time, we have contenders one each from the Gold industry and the Diamond industry.   Pramod Kumar Agarwal from Derewala Industries is a jewellery manufacturer while Vipul Shah from Asian Star is a diamantaire.

We spoke to Pramod Agarwal to know more about his vision for the council. He said, “Prime focus would be on making brand ‘India’ popular overseas.  With regard to jewellery, we not only have skills but craftsmanship as well, which needs to be projected to the world. Other than that we would be concentrating on increasing exports, creating more employment and rehabilitate our craftsmen who are the backbone of gems and jewellery industry.”

Vipul Shah from Asian Star while talking about his vision said, “I would work hard towards the betterment of SMEs in gems and jewellery industry in India. With better support, improvement in method of production, use of better technology and synergized representation of them in global market can help these SMEs to grow further. Besides, I would be working towards helping the Indian diamond industry get more stringent in regards to confidentiality, transparency, etc. I would also work in tandem with policy makers so that we can have favourable policies for the entire gems and jewellery trade.”

The election process this time is entirely handled by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the helm of the Ministry of Commerce, India. A dedicated software agency has been hired by the DGFT to handle the e-voting process. The election that takes place every two years will begin its casting in the month of January. The process of how eligible members can cast their vote will be announced in the next week. The voting process will take place for 7 days. This kind of excitement and vigour from industry personnel goes to show that the industry is ready for a change and everybody is geared to make India Number 1 when it comes to gems & jewellery.