National News
Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Unveils IIGJ Udupi As A New Centre of Excellence For Gems & Jewellery Skills
New IIGJ Udupi Centre, Inaugurated By Nirmala Sitharaman, Aims To Boost Skill Development, Innovation, and Employment While Strengthening India’s Global Leadership In Gems and Jewellery
Marking a significant milestone in India’s gem and jewellery skill development landscape, the Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ), Udupi, was unveiled today as a new centre of excellence by Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman reaffirmed the government’s continued focus on skilling, innovation and employment generation for the sector.
The ceremony was attended by Shri Kota Shrinivas Poojari, Member of Parliament; Shri Yashpal A. Suvarna, MLA, Udupi; Shri Gurme Suresh Shetty, MLA, Kaup (Kapu) Assembly Constituency, Karnataka; Shri Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC; Shri Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC; Shri Mahender Tayal, Regional Chairman, Southern Region, GJEPC; and Shri Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC, alongside industry members, students and stakeholders.
The new IIGJ Udupi centre is envisioned as a hub for nurturing talent, supporting artisanal excellence and equipping students with industry-relevant skills across jewellery design, manufacturing and emerging technologies. The inauguration further strengthens IIGJ’s growing national footprint and underscores the sector’s commitment to building a future-ready workforce.
Nirmala Sitharaman said:

“IIGJ Udupi stands as a strong example of how industry-led skilling can transform lives and create opportunities for youth across southern India. The institute is empowering students from Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and beyond with employable skills, entrepreneurial opportunities and pathways to prosperity.
Through the support of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the institute has aligned its training with global market needs and evolving industry standards. As demand for skilled talent grows and India strengthens its position in global jewellery exports, institutions like IIGJ Udupi will be instrumental in nurturing talent, expanding opportunities for our youth, and driving inclusive economic growth.”
Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), said:
“The unveiling of IIGJ Udupi reflects our continued commitment to strengthening India’s skill ecosystem for the gem and jewellery sector. In the last four years alone, IIGJ centres across the country have trained over 7,000 students, building a strong talent pool for the industry.

Today, the Indian gem and jewellery sector contributes nearly USD 28 billion in exports and supports over 5 million livelihoods. As the sector evolves into a more design-led, technology-driven and value-added ecosystem, the demand for skilled professionals will only grow. Institutions like IIGJ are central to sustaining India’s leadership and maintaining its position as the supplier of choice for the world. This effort also advances the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and supports our ambition of taking gem and jewellery exports to USD 100 billion.”
A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ) and IIT Madras (InCent-LGD). The partnership aims to launch a specialised certification programme in lab-grown diamond technologies, creating skilled and industry-ready professionals for this fast-growing sector. It will support value-added manufacturing and further strengthen India’s position in the global lab-grown diamond value chain, aligned with the vision of Make in India and Skill India.
Highlighting the sector’s transformation and emerging opportunities, Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, said:

“With expanding global opportunities, strong domestic demand and growing focus on innovation, the industry is entering a new phase of growth. Investments in skilling and education through institutions like IIGJ will be critical to sustaining India’s leadership in the global gem and jewellery sector.”
Aligned with the government’s Skill India vision and initiatives such as the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, IIGJ has been expanding access to structured training for grassroots artisans and aspiring professionals. The IIGJ institute currently offers over 40 specialised programmes, including degree courses, diplomas and postgraduate programmes, with strong industry linkages and placement outcomes.
The new centre is expected to play a key role in supporting the next phase of growth while empowering youth, artisans and entrepreneurs from the region to participate in India’s expanding gem and jewellery opportunity.
National News
India’s Major Retail Jewellery Players Made A Strong Start To FY27
The Common Drivers Are Clear: Strong Same-Store Sales, Fast Store Expansion, Premiumisation, and A Better Product Mix.
India’s organised jewellery retailers have made a strong start to FY27, with Kalyan Jewellers, P N Gadgil Jewellers and Titan Company all showing that branded players can still grow quickly even in a record gold-price environment. The common drivers are clear: strong same-store sales, fast store expansion, premiumisation, and a better product mix.
Kalyan’s broad-based growth
Kalyan Jewellers reported about 38% consolidated revenue growth in Q1 FY27, with India operations also rising by more than 38% despite the 28-day Adhik Maas period, which usually softens wedding-related demand. Same-store sales growth was around 28%, showing that existing stores remained the main engine of momentum. Candere was a standout, posting about 112% growth, while Kalyan added 12 Kalyan showrooms and five Candere outlets during the quarter.
The company also highlighted a shift toward recycled gold through its “Shine with India” campaign, with recycled gold contributing more than 46% of revenue in Q1 and over 55% in June. That suggests Kalyan is not only growing demand but also improving sourcing efficiency at the same time.
PNG’s premium mix
P N Gadgil Jewellers reported 41% year-on-year revenue growth in Q1 FY27, with retail revenue up 56% and same-store sales up 46%, which points to very strong productivity at existing stores. Retail now contributes roughly 78% of revenue, while franchise and e-commerce also expanded healthily. The company’s retail stud ratio increased to 10.9%, indicating improving demand for studded jewellery and a higher-value product mix.
PNG also noted that newer stores in North and Central India are already showing higher studded jewellery penetration than its traditional Maharashtra and Goa markets. That matters because it signals that the brand is successfully taking its premium assortment to new geographies, not just expanding store count.
Titan’s steady momentum
Titan’s jewellery business also continued to grow strongly, with domestic jewellery operations rising around 18% to 39% depending on the business-update frame reported, supported by Akshaya Tritiya demand and healthy early-quarter buyer traffic. Titan said consumers increasingly preferred lightweight and lower-karat jewellery as gold prices climbed, while plain gold jewellery grew in the mid-teens and studded jewellery delivered early double-digit growth. Tanishq’s like-to-like sales grew in early double digits, and CaratLane also posted healthy double-digit like-to-like growth.
Titan expanded its jewellery network by adding 19 net stores in the quarter, including Tanishq, Mia and CaratLane outlets. That reinforces the same theme seen across the sector: scale, distribution and brand trust are helping large organised players win share.
What it means
The quarter suggests that high gold prices are changing what consumers buy, not whether they buy. Buyers are shifting toward lighter designs, lower karatage, studded jewellery and branded channels, which helps organised retailers defend growth even when raw material prices are elevated. In that setting, store expansion and premiumisation are offsetting pricing pressure, while digital channels and recycled-gold initiatives are adding another layer of resilience.
For the upcoming festive and wedding season, the sector appears well positioned, especially if gold prices stay volatile but not sharply disruptive. The strongest signal from these updates is that organised jewellery retail is gaining share from unorganised players rather than simply riding higher ticket values.
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