The Big Switch!

SRDC, one of India’s premier gemological institutes officially announced its rebranding as IIG (International Institute of Gemology) at a grand ceremony on July 19. To mark this proud milestone, Mr Ramnikbhai Shah, founder of leading diamond manufacturing house Venus Jewel and Mr Arvindbhai Parikh, MD and founding partner of Crystal Diamonds inaugurated IIG’s new institute in Panchratna Building, Opera House. The organization’s new logo was unveiled by industry veteran Mr Ghanshyambhai Dholakia, Founder and MD, Hari Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. The event was graced by around 150 eminent members of the gems and jewellery industry.

Headed by Managing Director, Mr Rahul Desai, IIG traces its roots to a cutting and polishing factory established by Mr Kantilal Desai in 1965. The factory imparted valuable training to its 500-strong workforce, and eventually transformed into a full-fledged gems and jewellery institute called Shri Rajendra Diamond Classes (SRDC) in the early 1980s.

The institute has already trained over 1,00,000 students from around the world since its inception and is affiliated with the University of Mumbai. It will now function under the new brand identity of IIG and will continue to offer an extensive selection of courses on gems, diamonds, jewellery designing and merchandising and will also offer a range of newly introduced contemporary courses and programs.

IIG is also the only facility to train students in the Venus Grading System, a highly precise system of diamond grading devised by leading diamond manufacturers, Venus Jewel. In addition, two new courses have been introduced on Jewellery Retail Sales Management and Public Speaking and Personality Development. There will also be technologically savvy kiosks installed to efficiently address student queries.

“It is with great pride that I carry forth the legacy started by my father about five decades ago. The new avatar of our prestigious institute, IIG, represents our efforts to provide each student with the latest in international training and technology so that the gems and jewellery industry, a heritage sector of India, may be on par with global standards,” said Mr Rahul Desai, Managing Director IIG, at the event.