India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) inducted several designers, retailers, and other members of the industry into its Hall of Fame during the IIJS Signature Show earlier this month in Mumbai.
New Hall of Fame members include artist and designer Reena Ahluwalia, designer Farah Khan Ali, Titan chief design officer Revathi Kant, jewelry historian Usha Balakrishnan, Platinum Guild International’s Vaishali Banerjee, and designer Pallavi Foley.
Additionally, GJEPC inducted six Indian jewelry retailers who successfully conducted IPOs: P.N. Gadgil, RBZ Jewellers, Motisons Jewellers, Manoj Vaibhav Jewellers, Senco Gold, and Kalyan Jewellers.
This year’s Hall of Fame ceremony focused on women who are considered visionaries in their respective careers, GJEPC said in a statement. “Everyone in our diverse jewelry industry is like a link in a value chain, and without each link the chain is not strong. It’s important to recognize and celebrate those whose contributions are a standout, long-lasting and multidimensional,” Ahluwalia, one of the women honored, tells JCK. “I believe this should be based on the proof and merit of their work and the true difference they have made.”
Ahluwalia’s achievements, according to the council, include creating groundbreaking jewelry design techniques, a Guinness World Record-holding watch, and the diamond setting for the historic Mace of Ontario.
“Reena has been leading industry in technology and blockchain as well as building and strategizing impactful, world-class diamond and jewelry projects,” said GJEPC’s statement.
“This kind of acknowledgment not only honors individual achievements but also inspires our entire jewelry community to strive for excellence, innovation, and to do better,” says Ahluwalia. “I feel it can also help the public appreciate the artistry, creativity, and hard work that go into jewelry-making, boosting support for our industry.”
She says mentorship and advocacy are key to attracting new industry members. For example, she has established design competitions and workshops across India, including in remote areas, and has sought fair compensation for the country’s jewelry artists and designers.
“As a professor of jewelry, I have had the privilege to touch the lives of thousands of students around the world,” says Ahluwalia. “In design, I innovated new techniques that are embraced and used by many globally. I was an early adopter of technology—mechanical, digital, or blockchain—and this factor introduced many brands and individuals in our industry to strive to better their knowledge and impact.”
Ahluwalia especially enjoyed the Hall of Fame event for the opportunity to see industry peers, who have been important to her journey, and have them cheer her on.
“Receiving this recognition felt like a full-circle moment,” she says. “Starting my diamond and design journey in India, and now being honored for my contributions and impact, was incredible.”
Ahluwalia’s latest project is Diamond Trails, an anthology of art and stories centered on “natural diamonds and the journeys they inspire.” The collection features five stories, each illustrated with a painting by Ahluwalia. She wrote one of the stories; the other contributing writers were Avi Krawitz, Shanoo Bijlani, Grant Mobley, and Sonia Esther Soltani.
“I have always believed that movement is momentum and momentum is life,” Ahluwalia says.
Top: Nirav Bhansali (left), convener of national exhibitions for the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, presents a Hall of Fame trophy to jewelry designer and artist Reena Ahluwalia. (Photos courtesy of GJEPC)
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