National News
GJC’s first Labham Seminar in Ahilyanagar concludes successfully
The All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) successfully organized its flagship knowledge-sharing event this week, the Labham Seminar, at Hotel Raj Palace in Ahilyanagar. This was the first-ever Labham Seminar held in Ahilyanagar, conducted in collaboration with the Gold Jewellers Council – Ahilyanagar, a prestigious association dedicated to the growth and prosperity of the local jewellery trade.
This 181st edition of the Labham Seminar was conducted under the DD-WGC Labham series and witnessed the participation of over 100 jewellers. The seminar aimed to strengthen awareness of business knowledge, legal compliance, and ethical trade practices. Key speakers at the event included GJC Chairman Rajesh Rokde, Vice Chairman Avinash Gupta, Vardhaman Kothari, former Chairman Nitin Khandelwal, and legal advisor Bhavin Mehta, who addressed crucial topics such as legal guidelines, compliance policies, and business growth strategies.
During the seminar, insights were also shared about the upcoming India Gem & Jewellery Show (GJS) and GJS Jewellers Meet. The prestigious B2B jewellery trade show is set to take place from 4th to 7th April 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. This edition will feature 400+ exhibitors and 750+ booths, offering a grand platform for the jewellery industry to explore an extensive range of products, including gold, couture and real diamond-studded jewellery, silver, gemstones, loose diamonds, pearls, lab-grown diamonds, and allied services.
A key highlight of this year’s event is the Silver Pavilion, dedicated to meeting the growing demand for silver jewellery and artifacts. Scheduled 26 days before Akshaya Tritiya and just ahead of the upcoming wedding season, this show presents a golden opportunity for retailers and buyers to stock up their inventory. With 20,000+ visitors and 2,000 hosted buyers expected, GJS is set to become a leading sourcing platform for India’s jewellery traders.
The GJS Jewellers Meet serves as an exclusive networking platform, bringing together key jewellers, retailers, and manufacturers from the industry. This meet fosters business discussions, collaborations, and trade opportunities, allowing stakeholders to establish valuable connections and gain insights into the latest market trends.
On this occasion, GJC Chairman Rajesh Rokde stated:”The Labham Seminar has always been a vital platform for educating jewellers about compliance and ethical trade practices. We are delighted to host this seminar for the first time in Ahilyanagar and are thrilled by the enthusiastic response from the local jewellery community. GJC remains committed to driving industry growth, education, and business excellence. Through GJS and GJS Jewellers Meet, we are providing jewellers with an unparalleled platform to connect, collaborate, and unlock new business opportunities.”
With this grand success, the Labham Seminar in Ahilyanagar has laid a strong foundation for future knowledge-sharing programs. The Gold Jewellers Council – Ahilyanagar and GJC remain dedicated to their mission of empowering jewellers through initiatives like Labham, ensuring continued progress and excellence in the industry.
National News
JewelStart Innovation Challenge Enters Evaluation Stage As GJEPC, SINE IIT Bombay Shortlist 27 Startups
The Evaluation Process Also Emphasised Two Key Considerations: The Practical Relevance Of Each Solution For The Gem and Jewellery Industry, and The Startup’s Readiness To Benefit From The JewelStart Incubation Programme.
The inaugural JewelStart 2026 Industry Innovation Challenge has moved into its next phase with GJEPC and SINE IIT Bombay commencing the evaluation of shortlisted startups through a three-day virtual pitch round. The initiative aims to identify practical technology-led solutions to some of the gem and jewellery industry’s most pressing operational challenges.
The evaluation round, being held from 15 to 17 July, follows months of industry consultation that began with the collection of more than 90 problem statements from manufacturers, retailers, innovators and other stakeholders. Working jointly with SINE IIT Bombay, these were refined into 22 priority challenges, which formed the basis of the first JewelStart Innovation Challenge.
The challenge attracted over 120 startup applications, of which 62 complete submissions were received. Following an initial screening process, 27 startups have advanced to the virtual pitch stage, where they will present their solutions before an expert jury.
Addressing the opening session, Vikrant Pradhan, Director – Events, GJEPC, said the initiative was designed to connect the industry’s real-world challenges with India’s innovation ecosystem.
The seven finalists will present their innovations during Demo Day on 8 August 2026, where they will showcase their solutions to leading jewellery companies, investors and mentors. Beyond recognition, the selected startups will receive opportunities for industry mentorship, investment access and incubation support to help commercialise their technologies.
Disha Kadam, Program Manager and Coordinator at SINE IIT Bombay, outlined the evaluation framework. She said the shortlisted startups would be assessed on five parameters worth 20 marks each: Product & Solution Offering, Innovation, Alignment with the Industry Problem Statement, Team Capability to Execute, and Incubation Readiness. Each startup had 15 minutes, comprising an eight-minute presentation followed by a seven-minute Q&A session with the jury.
The evaluation process also emphasised two key considerations: the practical relevance of each solution for the gem and jewellery industry, and the startup’s readiness to benefit from the JewelStart incubation programme.
The JewelStart Innovation Challenge was launched earlier this year by GJEPC in partnership with SINE IIT Bombay to encourage startups to develop solutions across manufacturing, retail and supply chain operations. The programme forms part of GJEPC’s broader effort to accelerate innovation and technology adoption across India’s gem and jewellery sector.
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