Adopt modern methods, gem and jewellery: Industry

Manipal, Karnataka, Mar 19: The Indian gem and jewellery industry should adopt modern methods to face global competition by incorporating techniques, quality control, management and marketing methods, while retaining its intricacies and aesthetic value, a top official of the Gemmological Institute of India, Mumbai, said.

Delivering the keynote address at a national seminar on 'Emerging Issues and Challenges of Jewellery Industry - Aurumentia 2006' here, Institute's Department of National Research Centre for Diamonds and Gems R and D Head Dr Jayashree Panjikar stressed the need for the industry adopting corporate culture for management, training and upgradation of jewellery manufacturing.

Stating that the industry faced challenges in manufacturing, identification of quality enhancement by various treatments and manpower development, she said training to artisans in jewellery making by modern methods and encouraging development of indigenous technology without neglecting the traditional goldsmiths were needed to overcome the challenges.

Dr Panjikar said the annual consumption of gold in India was over 850 tonnes, the largest in the world, with a growth rate of 20 per cent. Of the Rs 40,000 crore Indian jewellery business, diamond studded jewellery accounted for 15 per cent. India was the third largest consumer of diamonds, after the United States and Japan. On the export front, the gem and jewellery industry had grown to an astronomical figure of over Rs 65,000 crore in 2005.

The seminar was organised by the Manipal Institute of Jewellery Management under the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), a deemed university.

Earlier, inaugurating the seminar, MAHE Vice-Chancellor Dr H S Ballal said the varsity was working on modifying the curriculum in several courses, including engineering and management, to suit the industrial needs.

UNI