On February 2nd, 2023, the Hurun Report Global awarded SRK Exports with the coveted title of “Most Respected Family Business of the Year” at the Hurun Most Respected Entrepreneurs Awards. Many of India’s leading business figures, such as Kumar Mangalam Birla, Cyrus Poonawala, Ashwin Dani, and Nadir Godrej, were present to witness this momentous occasion.
However, this recognition was not achieved overnight. It was the result of six decades of unwavering dedication and selflessness. Sixty years prior, a young man named Govind made the journey from his village in North Gujarat, India to Surat. Despite working fourteen hours a day, cutting diamond stones for a meager salary of INR 10 per month, Govind was thankful for the basic amenities that many took for granted, such as a roof to protect him from the sun and a fan to keep him cool. He longed for respect, but in a time where the poor and uneducated were looked down upon, he thought it was an unattainable dream.
But everything changed when he attended a sermon by a renowned saint. In front of a massive crowd, the saint asked, “Do you want to be respected?” and Govind finally found his answer. He internalised the lesson, “give respect to earn respect,” and made it a fundamental part of his character. This lesson has served him well, transforming him into one of India’s most respected billionaires and philanthropists.
As the owner of India’s largest diamond and jewellery exporting group, SRK Exports, with a turnover of 1.8 billion USD and business interests in solar and IT, Govind Dholakia is renowned for his good deeds and the respect he has earned, despite having limited formal education. He shared his inspiring journey from rags to riches in his autobiography “Diamonds are Forever and So are Morals,” where he showcases how he earned true friends and well-wishers along the way.
