JWA 2021 Jewellery Industry Best Practices

Jewellery World Awards 2021 | 21 Alliance member and a Rio Tinto Select Diamantaire, which further cemented its credibility in the world of diamonds. In time, KGK even went beyond the jewellery and gemstone trade as it expanded into the real estate business, among other industries. COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP Kothari’s entrepreneurial achievements are, perhaps, only matched by his long history of humanitarian work. “It’s a blessing to be born as a human. But if you are not able to help others, then it’s a sheer waste of life,” he shares. Abiding by what he preaches, this philanthropist became a pivotal force in the construction of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (BMCHRC) in 1997 – Northern India’s largest cancer hospital, based in Jaipur. There, patients living below the poverty line can avail themselves of effective and modern cancer treatments at discounted and heavily subsidised rates. Managed by the KG Kothari Memorial Trust, BMCHRC is also fully equipped to extend multi-disciplinary tertiary cancer care for patients living in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, as well as in other nearby states. “Very soon, we will be increasing our bed capacity from 350 to 500,” adds Kothari, who also serves as the hospital’s chairman. In a bid to bring happiness into the lives of child cancer patients, Kothari became a staunch supporter and member of the Dreamz Foundation – a comprehensive programme that has fulfilled the wishes of 3,500 children afflicted by the life-threatening disease. Similarly, he also supports the “Donate a Life” initiative that has helped at least 185 registered paediatric patients in their battle against various kinds of hematologic cancers, free of cost, and the “Surveillance and Early Detection of Breast and Cervical Cancer” programme, which provides free mammograms and pap smears to women annually. Unsurprisingly, Kothari’s healthcare advocacy helped greatly when COVID-19 wreaked havoc in the region. Aside from striving to secure the tenure and safety of KGK’s workforce, he allocated a significant amount for feeding more than 70,000 people on the fringes of society and donated oxygen compressors to the Rajasthan state government at the height of the pandemic. INSPIRING VISION Believing that education and skills training could pave the way for a brighter tomorrow, Kothari works equally hard as the president of the Subodh Shiksha Samithi, a non-profit organisation that provides assistance to more than 33,000 students in Rajasthan. He established the KGK Academy, which imparts useful knowledge for those who would eventually want to work or venture into the gemstone and jewellery industry. 3 4 5