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IIGJ Mumbai Opens Modern Campus to Power Skills, Innovation, and Industry Growth

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The Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ), Mumbai, took a significant leap forward in its journey of growth with the inauguration of its newly modernised, state-of-the-art campus. The launch marks a new chapter for the institute, reinforcing its role as a centre of excellence in gems and jewellery education, skill development, and innovation.

The ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Kirit Bhansali, Chairman of GJEPC India, along with Guests of Honour Dilipbhai V. Lakhi, Chairman of Lakhi Group, and Raj Hitendra Parikh, Managing Director of Uni-Design Jewellery. Also present were Adil Kotwal, President of SEEPZ GJMA; Sanjay Kothari, Founding Board Member of IIGJ Mumbai; and Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director of GJEPC. The event was chaired by Milan Chokshi, Chairman of IIGJ Mumbai, and Debasish Biswas, CEO, who extended heartfelt thanks to all guests, industry stakeholders, and supporters who have been instrumental in IIGJ’s journey.

With upgraded infrastructure and advanced learning facilities, the new campus is designed to meet the evolving needs of students and professionals, preparing them to thrive in a rapidly changing global business environment.

Kirit bhansali

Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC said, “The new IIGJ Mumbai campus is more than just a modern facility — it reflects the spirit of an industry that constantly evolves to stay ahead of the times. For over two decades, IIGJ has nurtured more than 8,000 talented professionals who now drive India’s gems and jewellery sector. As IIGJ moves towards becoming a Deemed University, this milestone reaffirms its pivotal role in shaping the next generation of designers, artisans, and leaders.”

Offering to support the establishment of IIGJ centres in Kolkata, Rajkot, Jaipur, and Surat, Dilipbhai Lakhi, Chairman, Lakhi Group, said, “This is the time for our industry to shine. With institutions like IIGJ and the strong backing of the industry, we can become the world leader in technology, design, manufacturing, and innovation.”

Adil Kotwal, President, SEEPZ Gem & Jewellery Manufacturers’ Association, said, “One of the biggest achievements of GJEPC has been its commitment to nurturing young talent through IIGJ campuses across the country. Skilling and training must remain a priority, and I would strongly urge GJEPC to channel a larger part of its resources into education and capacity building. With such focused efforts, India has every potential to become the jewellery hub of the world — and I believe IIGJ can play a central role in unlocking that potential.”

Sanjay Kothari, Founding Board Member of IIGJ Mumbai,said, “IIGJ Mumbai became a reality thanks to the wholehearted financial support of our industry members, who recognised the potential of such an institute to nurture talent, create employment, and build resources that would strengthen our sector for the future. I remain deeply grateful to all who stood by this cause. Today, the entire IIGJ team is leading this institute through a remarkable transformation — one that keeps pace with generational shifts and the changing business landscape.”

Milan Chokshi, Chairman, IIGJ Mumbai, said, “When IIGJ was founded, the intent was simple yet profound — to give back to the trade that shaped us. The support we received from industry leaders laid the foundation for what we have achieved today. With this modernised campus, we carry that same spirit forward — to stay relevant, empower talent, and continue supporting the industry as it evolves.”

Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC, said, “Any great nation is built on the foundation of knowledge. Our own industry has thrived because of knowledge — we have world-class designers and cutting and polishing centres. So, it is vital to nurture institutions like IIGJ and to keep expanding and deepening our knowledge base to keep us ahead of the world.”

IIGJ Mumbai, the first institute under the IIGJ banner, has been a cornerstone of jewellery education in India since its inception in 2002. As it approaches its 23rd anniversary in November 2025, the institute proudly reflects on its journey from offering a handful of programs to becoming a comprehensive centre of learning. Today, it offers a flagship three-year degree program, a postgraduate diploma, and a wide range of professional certifications. Over the past 23 years, more than 8,000 students have graduated from IIGJ Mumbai, each successfully contributing to the industry as entrepreneurs or professionals with reputed brands. Equipped with world-class infrastructure, advanced laboratories, and highly experienced faculty, IIGJ Mumbai continues to raise the benchmark in gems and jewellery education. With plans to become the main campus of a proposed Deemed University under UGC by 2026–27, the institute is poised to play an even greater role in shaping the future of the industry.

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National News

From Pune’s Tech Corridors to Punjab’s Fashion Capital – Gargi by PNGS Marks a Landmark Double Debut

The fashion jewellery brand opens its newest kiosk at Grand Highstreet, Hinjewadi in February, followed by its first Punjab store at Nexus MBD Neopolis, Ludhiana on March 1 — signalling a deliberate, market-by-market expansion across India.

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Some brands expand to fill space. Gargi by P.N. Gadgil & Sons expands to find the right customers. That philosophy is evident in its two newest store openings: a kiosk at Grand Highstreet Mall in Hinjewadi, Punelaunched in February — and a full-format store at Nexus MBD Neopolis Mall in Ludhiana, Punjab, which opened its doors on March 1, 2025. Together, they represent something more than a store count milestone; they reflect a brand that is learning how different Indian cities wear their jewellery.

Hinjewadi, Pune: Jewellery Meets the Innovation District

Hinjewadi is not your typical jewellery market. Home to Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park — one of India’s largest IT hubs — it is a neighbourhood built around young professionals: engineers, product managers, and startup founders who dress sharply and spend thoughtfully. Gargi’s kiosk at the Upper Ground Floor of Grand Highstreet Mall, situated within this tech corridor, is a deliberate bet on this demographic.

Grand Highstreet is among Hinjewadi’s most frequented lifestyle destinations — a 2.25 lakh sq. ft. al fresco mall anchored by brands like Lifestyle, Westside, Pantaloons, and a PVR multiplex. For Gargi, the location is as much a statement as the store itself: fashion jewellery that belongs not just in a traditional market but on the shopping list of someone who just picked up a coffee and is heading to catch a film.

Ludhiana, Punjab: A Brand’s First Step into the North

If Hinjewadi is about the new India, Ludhiana is about ambition with deep roots. The commercial capital of Punjab — a city known for its textiles, its traders, and its unapologetic appetite for style — is the kind of market a jewellery brand earns its stripes in. Gargi’s entry here, at Unit No. 05B, Lower Ground Floor of Nexus MBD Neopolis Mall on Ferozepur Road, is the brand’s first store in Punjab.

Nexus MBD Neopolis is no ordinary mall address. Spanning over 8 lakh sq. ft., it houses global names like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Armani Exchange, Lacoste, and MAC, alongside a Radisson Blu hotel and a five-screen multiplex. Gargi’s presence here places it within a retail ecosystem that Ludhiana’s fashion-forward consumers have come to associate with quality and aspiration.

“Hinjewadi and Ludhiana are very different cities with very different energy — and that is exactly why we chose them. One is building India’s digital future; the other is one of the country’s most powerful trading communities. In both, we found women who know precisely what they want, who dress intentionally, and who have been underserved by the options available to them in fashion jewellery. Gargi exists for them — and these two stores are our way of saying, we see you.”

— Aditya Modak, Co-Founder, Gargi by P.N. Gadgil & Sons

A Brand Built for the New Indian Woman

Launched in FY21 as part of P.N. Gadgil & Sons’ portfolio — a fine jewellery group — Gargi was conceived to occupy a gap in India’s fashion jewellery landscape: pieces that are designed thoughtfully, priced accessibly, and crafted from 92.5% certified sterling silver, brass, and 9,12,14 to 18 carat gold studded with natural diamonds. With over 36 offline stores and approximately one million designs, the brand has grown rapidly since its BSE listing.

The Hinjewadi and Ludhiana openings are part of a continued push to bring Gargi’s universe of designs — from everyday silver earrings to its bridal sub-brand Utsaav by Gargi — to consumers across geographies and lifestyles.

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