Aura Of Success

- Joseph Rozario

THE LUSTRE OF JEWELS HAS HELD royals and commoners alike in their spell from times immemorial and man’s undying fascination for them has had treasure hunters and purveyors explore not just the deepest, darkest recesses of the earth, but also undertake long, perilous journeys in their quest. It is one such daunting journey from Jaipur to Rangoon to which the KGK Group owes its being.

A tale of two cities

“The foundation of this business house was laid in 1905, when Keshrimalji Kothari started trading in coloured gemstones,” says Navrattan Kothari, talking about the inception of the KGK Group. As patriarch of the KGK Group and the third generation of the Kotharis, under Navrattan Kothari the house has seen exponential growth.

“In those days, Rangoon [now Yangon] was the hub of the gems trade, as Burma [now Myanmar] produced precious stones such as sapphires, pearls, jade and the world’s best rubies,” continues Navrattan Kothari. “Gems were bought and sold in Rangoon and brought to Rajasthan for cutting and polishing. Sensing growth prospects, Keshrimalji was fired by the idea of going to Rangoon to try his luck.”