Surat, India – In an effort to address ongoing challenges, the Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) has established a new management committee. This development follows the recent appointment of Rajya Sabha MP and BJP leader Govind Dholakia as SDB chairman, filling a leadership void.
The committee, formed during a core committee meeting on Wednesday, is led by Arvindbhai Shah of Dhanera Diamonds as president, with Nagjibhai Sakariya of HVK International Ltd and Ashesh Doshi of A N Diamond serving as vice-presidents. Laljibhai Patel of Dharmanandan Diamonds has been appointed vice-chairman.
This new leadership structure comes after the resignations of two previous chairmen within a short period. In January, Nagjibhai Sakariya stepped down citing his age, followed by his successor Vallabhbhai Lakhani in March.
The management committee’s primary focus will be encouraging diamond merchants from Surat and Mumbai to occupy their purchased offices at the SDB. Currently, only 135 out of the 4,000 offices in the complex, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December, are occupied.
SDB vice-chairman Laljibhai Patel emphasized the committee’s commitment to balancing representation from both the Patidar and Jain communities, which dominate diamond manufacturing and trading respectively. He expressed optimism that over 500 offices would be operational by May.
The committee plans to hold meetings with diamond merchants in both Surat and Mumbai to expedite the process of office occupation. With Arvindbhai Shah’s prominent position in the industry and his established presence in both cities, the SDB leadership is hopeful for significant progress in the coming months.
The formation of this new management committee signifies a proactive approach to addressing the challenges faced by the SDB and ensuring its success as a global diamond trading hub.
