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THE GEMS BEHIND OUR JEWELS

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Gold is an integral part of our lives, more so in the lives of women. Considered auspicious, gold is part of every celebration – be it festivals or personal milestones.  According to the World Gold Council, Indian women collectively own around 24,000 tons of gold, which accounts for about 11% of the world’s total gold reserves in jewellery form. It is only right to say India is the global leader in household gold ownership.  The Oxford Gold Group’s report states that the Indian households have more gold than the combined reserves of the United States, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Switzerland and Germany.

Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers has been serving the Indian community with authentic and aesthetically appealing gold jewels for 125 years, now. VBJ has been a benchmark for purity and trust for decades. Our remarkable growth story and undying patronage since the 1900 has been possible because of our quality, design and innovation in the jewellery space. Every piece of jewellery from VBJ is intricately crafted to bring out its true emotion with the purest of materials and finest craftsmanship. This has been possible because of the talented and focussed professionals of the VBJ team.

While VBJ is beyond gender classification among its team members, with women’s day round the corner, it is only right to celebrate and congratulate the women who have been instrumental for VBJ’s phenomenal growth.

We have a total of 254 women employees at VBJ – 233 in the retail and 21 in the creative centre. While it is our principle to value every employee, we are extremely proud of three women employees specifically who have spent decades with VBJ. Padmasri M has been with us for 42.08 years, Vanitha for 42.02 years and Latha S for 34.1 years. At this age and time, it is truly remarkable.  

As of now, we have 8 women designers and all of them have been trained at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).  In the earlier years, there have been several prominent women leaders who have made significant contributions to the brand, showcasing remarkable leadership and management skills in their respective roles like Vanitha, Latha, Revathi and Radha.

Vanitha handled the Anna Salai Silver branch, where she demonstrated her exceptional ability in managing both operational and customer service aspects of the business. As the order manager, Latha played a crucial role in streamlining the order management process.  Revathi was responsible for overseeing the Anna Nagar branch, a position that required strong leadership and managerial expertise.  Serving as the Billing Manager, Radha was pivotal in managing the financial transactions and ensuring smooth billing operations.

Specialised training programmes and growth

VBJ offers specialized training programs designed to enhance the technical and soft skills of their women professionals. The training focusses on leadership development, communication skills, technical training, and project management to ensure they are equipped to handle all departments of VBJ.

Women have equal access to all training programmes and career advancement opportunities. Our unbiased recruitment and promotion policies, focussing on merit and skills, are bringing more women to the team.

Woman power at VBJ

We have made considerable strides in increasing the female representation to reflect our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2022, there was 130 women out of 584 employees, which increased to 166 (out of 748) the following year. This number escalated to 200 (out of 767) in 2024 and now it stands at 254 out of the total 847 employees. This has been possible because of focussed efforts to improve gender diversity, targeted recruitment initiatives, mentorship programmes, implementation of policies promoting work-life balance and inclusive development for women.  

In line with the theme of International Women’s Day 2025 – Accelerate Action – VBJ is working towards the continued upward trend in women participation and growth. We are strongly committed to fostering an environment where women feel valued and empowered in their roles at VBJ. At the helm, 5th generation women entrepreneurs from the VBJ family having started pouring in their creativity and fresh thoughts.

The Future of Women in Jewellery

The presence of women in the jewellery industry is not just growing—it is shaping its very foundation. Brands that actively foster gender inclusivity witness not only stronger business performance but also richer, more meaningful creations that resonate with a diverse audience. As we look ahead, the contributions of women in jewellery will continue to accelerate change – whether as designers reimagining aesthetics, artisans preserving age-old techniques, retail professionals enhancing customer experiences, or leaders driving sustainable business practices, their role is indispensable. On this International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the true gems behind the jewels—the women who craft not just ornaments, but legacies that shine beyond brilliance.

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National News

Mortantra Culture House, Mumbai

Where Indian Craft Meets Contemporary India

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Mortantra, the contemporary ceremonial Indian jewellery house founded on the belief that Indian craft should be lived, worn and be in circulation, opens its Mumbai flagship, Mortantra Culture House – an immersive experiential environment where jewellery becomes the starting point for an exploration of Indian craft, culture and contemporary design. 

Spread across approximately 2,000 sq. ft. in Khar, the Culture House brings Mortantra’s world of jewellery, craft, storytelling and hospitality under one roof. Its design is shaped by an Indian Modern sensibility, where lime plaster, glass, wood and brushed brass meet traditional textiles, hand-worked surfaces, artefacts and jewellery techniques passed down through generations of karigars. 

Craft traditions including Kalamkari, Phad Chitra, Pattachitra, Mata Ni Pachedi, Bandhani, Mochi Bharat to name a fewappear throughout the space as a cultural thread and a blessing for this new chapter of the brand.

A Gallery in Motion

The experience begins with a one of a kind 200 KG raw brass door, an interpretation of Mortantra’s philosophy of making Indian traditional jewellery crafts accessible through the metal of India. 

Inside, a seven-foot Mata Ni Pachedi introduces visitors to the world of Mortantra. A peacock – a metaphor for the brand and a reference to its name, Mortantra, meaning peacock magic,  is placed against a Warli artwork representing Mumbai and Maharashtra. The meeting of the two becomes a visual dialogue between Mortantra’s roots in Gujarat and its new home in Mumbai.

The ground floor unfolds like a gallery, with jewellery presented within warm wooden vitrines detailed in brushed brass. Terracotta, textiles, Kalamkari, hand-carved objects and hand-worked metal sit alongside the jewellery.

An alta- red arch frames a Phad painting commissioned from National Award – winning artist Kalyan Joshi, inspired by the founder’s idea of a fictional city where Indian women from every era coexist.The work reflects on how jewellery and its stories travel through time, and what it means to preserve them.

Across the space, jewellery finds its place alongside a wider world of Indian craft and culture. Artworks and installations draw from Kalamkari, Phad, Mata Ni Pachedi, Warli and the country’s rich textile traditions, bringing craft, memory and adornment into the same conversation. Details reveal themselves as you move through the space – from the 108 names of shringaar etched across brass plates, to sacred motifs beneath the jewellery and textiles woven into a chhat overhead. Together, these touches encourage you to look beyond the jewellery itself and discover the histories, hands and traditions that have shaped Indian adornment over generations.

The Collective & The Sanctum

The lower level becomes warmer and more intimate, housing Sangrah : The Collective, a three-walled grand display of Mortantra’s jewellery-  Jadau Kundan, Quartz Polki, Temple, Mishr, Meenakari and Thappa Jadau, alongside statement pieces and bridal jewellery.

The ceiling is layered with textiles from across India, reflecting Mortantra’s commitment to regional crafts, and is finished with a Kutch Mochi Bharat shawl, paying homage to the brand’s Gujarati roots.

A heritage installation traces the evolution of Kundan and Jadau, bringing together archival references, Mortantra pieces and insights into technique and provenance.

The adjoining The Sanctum – Shringaar Antahpuris conceived as a contemporary haveli dressing room, defined by four alta-red arches. It includes spaces for bridal and groom jewellery selections, a getting-ready dresser featuring artefacts from across India, and a lounge for bridal consultations.

The space reflects Mortantra’s founding purpose: to make the dream of Indian bridal jewellery accessible without the burden of gold.

Why Mumbai, Why Khar

With over 30% of Mortantra’s customer base based in Mumbai, the city was a natural choice for the brand’s flagship. Mumbai’s discerning, evolving fashion culture mirrors Mortantra’s own approach to Indian jewellery-  deeply connected to heritage while remaining open to reinterpretation.

Khar, with its longstanding presence in Mumbai’s fashion and design landscape, felt like the right setting for Mortantra’s first Mumbai flagship, bringing the brand into an area already shaped by the city’s creative energy..

A Different Kind of Jewellery Space

Across the Culture House, one element remains constant: the hand. From jewellery and textiles to artefacts and craft, everything reflects the human skill and knowledge behind Indian making.

The result is a space that sits somewhere between a gallery, archive, gathering place and bridal sanctuary. Rather than simply displaying jewellery, Mortantra Culture House invites visitors to slow down, explore and discover the stories, craft and ideas behind each piece.

At its core, the flagship represents Mortantra’s belief that craft belongs in our hands, in circulation and in everyday life,  not locked away in museums or archives.

Mumbai marks the next chapter in that belief,  bringing together the richness of Indian jewellery’s past with a more contemporary way of seeing, making and wearing it today.

The Culture House marks a new chapter for Mortantra –  a physical expression of the world the brand has been building over the past decade, now brought together in Mumbai. With an established voice in contemporary Indian jewellery, Mortantra brings together its distinct point of view shaped in Indian craft, material, memory and storytelling.

More than a flagship, the Culture House brings these worlds together through architecture, objects and jewellery, inviting a closer look at the craft and knowledge behind what we wear. The ambition is not to recreate the past, but to keep its beauty and traditions moving forward in a contemporary context. In Mumbai, the Culture House becomes a meeting point between the India Mortantra comes from and the India it is helping shape.

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JewelBuzz is Asia’s First Digital Jewellery Media & India’s No.1 B2B Jewellery Magazine, published by AM Media House. Since 2016, we’ve been the trusted source for jewellery news, market trends, trade insights, exhibitions, podcasts, and brand stories, connecting jewellers, retailers, and industry professionals worldwide.

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