Govind Dholakia Appointed New Chairman of Surat Diamond Bourse

The Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) has appointed Govind Dholakia, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, as its new chairman. This appointment comes a day after the previous chairman, Vallabhbhai Patel (Lakhani), resigned from his position.

Core Committee’s Decision

On Thursday, the SDB core committee members held a meeting to discuss the next steps following Lakhani’s resignation. After considering various diamond merchants, the committee unanimously decided to nominate Dholakia, the owner of SRK Diamonds and a member of the SDB advisory committee, as the new chairman.

Dholakia’s Acceptance and Industry Experience

When offered the chairman’s post, Dholakia accepted the role. With his vast experience in the diamond industry, the core committee members believe he will be able to steer the Bourse in the right direction and overcome any obstacles.

Plans for the Future

Laljibhai Patel, a core committee member, stated that regular meetings will be held under Dholakia’s leadership, with the aim of making the entire SDB office complex fully operational. Additionally, the committee plans to restructure various committees, such as the management, finance, legal, and member relation committees.

The vacant position of president will also be filled, with an announcement expected by mid-next week.

Lakhani’s Assurance

Despite his resignation, Vallabhbhai Lakhani, the owner of Kiran Gems, India’s largest exporter of polished diamonds, has assured that he will continue to support the SDB and its members whenever needed. He will extend his cooperation in making the Bourse fully operational.

Significance of the SDB

Lakhani was the first merchant to shift his entire trading office setup from Mumbai to Surat at the SDB in November 2023. His decision was driven by the fact that his diamond manufacturing unit is based in Surat, and it was time-consuming and risky to transport cut and polished diamonds from Surat to the trading offices in Mumbai.

With Dholakia’s appointment, the SDB aims to overcome any challenges and establish itself as a prominent diamond trading hub.