Policies & Issues

When Diamonds Replenish the Earth

Policies & IssuesMar 15, 2023

When Diamonds Replenish the Earth

Hari Krishna Exports and the Dholakia Foundation’s “Mission 100 Sarovar” aims to create 100 lakes to help revive an area of Gujarat.

20230315_Dholakia Foundation water project.jpg
An aerial view of the Dholakia Foundation’s “Mission 100 Sarovar” project, which has brought water to areas of Gujarat that have been experiencing droughts in recent years.
Mumbai—Until the first decade of the new millennium, water was a very scarce commodity in and around Dudhala, a village in the Amreli district of Saurashtra region in Gujarat. 
 
Vast tracts of land turned arid every summer. The area was in danger of being rendered permanently barren due to sustained drought-like conditions. 
 
In the hottest months, drinking water too could be hard to come by, even for those who could afford the cost of transporting it by tanker.
 
Then, one of India’s largest diamond manufacturers, Savjibhai Dholakia, founder and chairman of Hari Krishna Exports, who originally hails from this region, decided to wave his magic wand. 
 
“Mission 100 Sarovar” (sarovar is the Gujarati word for lakes), a project under the banner of the Dholakia Foundation, quickly took shape. 
 
Gujarat is home to the world’s diamond capital, Surat, the city which manufactures more than 90 percent (by volume) of diamonds annually. 
 
It also suffers from environmental ills. Studies revealed that 52 percent of Gujarat’s land mass was facing desertification and other forms of land degradation in 2018-19. 
 

Replenishing the Earth

The first steps to bring about change were taken in 2008 by Savjibhai. Dholakia and his Dholakia Foundation were determined to bring about change. 
 
The diamonds his company manufactured to adorn the more affluent now began contributing to the welfare of the less privileged. 
 
In essence, the mission of the Dholakia Foundation aimed to achieve what is embodied in Goal 6 of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e., “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” 
 
The 111 sarovars established over the last decade and a half or so are designed to harvest rainwater, replenish water tables and over time, ensure perennial access to water. 
 
The centerpiece of this unique mission is the Panch Ganga Tirth Triveni Sangam, launched in 2008. 
 
Initially, it was a mega series of five interconnected freshwater catchment lakes covering 20 villages around Dudhala, Dholakia’s ancestral home. The number of water bodies has risen significantly since then. 
 
Inaugurated in 2017 by the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, this massive network of lakes has a total storage capacity of 5.5 billion liters (1.45 billion gallons) of water and benefit as many as 200,000 farmers in the surrounding areas.
 
As an ecosystem, the Sangam also acts as a water harvesting structure, being replenished annually during monsoon season. It incorporates a series of check dams, farm ponds and percolation tanks designed to regenerate the badly depleted water table and restore the fertility of the soil.
 
Construction of this water complex was completed in record time, with the first steps being taken when a group of 400 people, personally led by the Dholakia family, worked non-stop for 23 hours deploying appropriate equipment to help. 
 
Even Dholakia’s elderly father was involved in guiding the lake construction, while his mother headed a team of women who cooked food for all those involved. 
 
Given such widespread support, a great quantity of degraded soil could be removed during a short period, thus ensuring that the catchment areas were ready in time for the monsoon that year.
 
Since these initial first steps, Mission 100 Sarovar has gathered pace and by 2023, 111 lakes had been constructed across Gujarat, with a few in Maharashtra too. 
 

Green Cover

In conjunction with establishing these water bodies, the foundation has also embarked on an extensive tree-planting and social forestry drive. 
 
More than 2.4 million trees have been planted across 25 locations within Gujarat, including fruit trees, decorative varieties and some with medicinal value. 
 
In the process, the foundation estimates that nearly 2,500 acres of desert land has been transformed. 
 
 Related stories will be right here … 

Another unique structure has come up in the vicinity of the Hari Krishna Exports factory in Icchapore in Surat—a garden around a special water body within the company’s premises. 
 
This, along with similar structures at the nearby Dholakia Island and at Simada, are well maintained and utilized by employees for rest and recreation. 
 
The gardens, which have a rich variety of ornamental herbaceous plants, are maintained with the use 
of biofertilizers and biopesticides.
 

Measurable Impact

So, how has such an enormous effort impacted the lives of the local population?  
 
A study conducted in 2022 by the Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), an institution run by an autonomous public trust set up by the state government, revealed:
  • Enhancement in the watering frequency for various crops and a considerable increase in the area under cropping; 
  • Increase in recharge of ground water levels, with an average rise of up to 3-3.5 meters in the water table in wells near water resource structures;
  • Rise in amount of irrigated land area, with the increase ranging from about 20 percent to 70 percent depending on the season and resulting in a 7 percent to 24 percent enhancement in productivity of various crops; 
  • Reduction in outward migration of the population during summer as adequate water supply is now available for fodder production;
  •  Increase in the average yield of milk of 1-1.5 liters (34-50 ounces) per day in cows and 1-3 liters (34-101 ounces) per day in buffaloes, with a corresponding rise in milk fat of 0.5 percent-25 percent;
  • High overall survival percentage of new plantations, as nearly 86 percent are in good to excellent condition; 
  • Improvement in air quality; and 
  • Rise in inward migration of birds, including some species never before spotted in the region.
It was only fitting that Dholakia, now widely known as the “Waterman of Saurashtra,” was honored with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India, by the Indian government in 2022. 
 
Yet for him the real satisfaction is knowing that the diamonds he manufactures have had a  lasting impact on people’s lives and livelihoods. 
 
“I had seen my mother treading long distances to fill a pot and my father praying for good rains every season,” Dholakia said. “Now, they, and thousands of others no longer have to do the same.” 
 
 Related stories will be right here …

The Latest

Movado Connect 2.0 watches
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Renato Cipullo Hematite Blaze Necklace
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ Necklace

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

Britney Spears
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry Line

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Article Image 1.png
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

Inoveo Platinum Grain image.jpg
Supplier BulletinMay 29, 2025
Inoveo Platinum Grain, Exclusively Distributed by Stuller

Sponsored by Stuller

Weekly QuizMay 30, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Grizzly Mining Pilala emerald
SourcingMay 29, 2025
Grizzly Auctions 6,620-Carat Emerald

It was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.

GemFind Logo
TechnologyMay 29, 2025
GemFind Launches AI Product Description Software

GemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.

antique_Vegas_2024_by_headshot_stories_9454.jpg
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the Globe

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Graff Fontainebleau Las Vegas
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Graff Unveils New Las Vegas Flagship

The 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.

Kim Kardashian
CrimeMay 28, 2025
8 Convicted in Kim Kardashian Jewelry Heist Trial

Aging and with myriad health issues, none will serve time for their roles in robbing the billionaire celebrity at gunpoint in 2016.

New York Liberty 2024 WNBA Championship Ring
CollectionsMay 28, 2025
NY Liberty’s 2024 Championship Rings Honor Historic Win

The WNBA team received rings imbued with meaning, from leaf motifs and its Liberty torch to the number of diamonds used.

Jewelers Board of Trade logo
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Andrew Rickard Named JBT President

A longtime executive at RDI Diamonds, Rickard has served on the JBT board for the past five years.

Logos for Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America and Jewelers of America
MajorsMay 27, 2025
MJSA to Become Part of Jewelers of America

The two organizations have signed an affiliation agreement that’s expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

Al Capone Pocket Watch
AuctionsMay 27, 2025
Al Capone’s Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Back Up for Auction

The platinum and diamond watch is part of Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches sale.

Kat Florence Lumina
AuctionsMay 27, 2025
182-Carat Paraíba-Type Tourmaline Sells for $487K

Recovered in Mozambique, “The Kat Florence Lumina” was part of Bonhams’ Hong Kong jewelry auction held last week.

Mark Henry Gumdrop Bypass Ring
TrendsMay 27, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Candy-Colored Gemstones

Get a taste of the delicious candy-like gemstones in this Amanda’s Style File.

Stock image of police cars with their lights on
CrimeMay 23, 2025
JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in Burglaries

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

Bliss Lau Bright Ring
CollectionsMay 23, 2025
Piece of the Week: Bliss Lau’s ‘Bright’ Ring

From Lau’s “Love of a Kind” series, the engagement ring was inspired by the moon and holds a different meaning depending on how it is worn.

GIA pearl report
GradingMay 23, 2025
GIA Updates Pearl Classification System

The lab has adjusted the scale it uses for nacre grading.

GCALbySarine Diamond Journey Certificate_1872x1052.jpg
Supplier BulletinMay 22, 2025
How to Put Natural Diamonds Back in the Spotlight

Sponsored by GCAL by Sarine

The late West Virginia jeweler David Ettinger
CrimeMay 22, 2025
NY Jeweler Sentenced in Shoving Death of Colleague at IJO Show

David Walton will serve three years’ probation after an incident in a hotel bar led to the death of West Virginia jeweler David Ettinger.

Watches of Switzerland store in Mall of America
FinancialsMay 22, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s Full-Year U.S. Sales Climb 14%

The retailer also provided an update on how the tariffs situation in the U.S. is affecting its business.

Jorge Adeler, Wendy Adeler, Valentina Adeler
IndependentsMay 22, 2025
Adeler Jewelers Celebrates 50 Years

The family-owned jeweler in Great Falls, Virginia, will be celebrating its golden jubilee with a year’s worth of events.

Jose Hess Design Awards 2025 Trophy
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Announce Judges

The nonprofit elected five judges who will decide the winners of its design competition.

MJSA 2025-2026 Buyer’s Guide
MajorsMay 22, 2025
MJSA Releases 2025-2026 Buyer’s Guide

This year’s edition includes articles on the favorite tools of notable designers, evaluating when to outsource production, and more.

Bulgari Invisible Violet Necklace and Rainbow Flow Necklace
CollectionsMay 21, 2025
Bulgari Highlights Its Colorful Past in Phenomenal ‘Polychroma’ Collection

The jeweler’s high jewelry collection features extraordinary gemstones, like a 241.06-carat emerald and the world’s fourth-largest spinel.

Industry analyst Edahn Golan
ColumnistsMay 21, 2025
Edahn’s Take: Analyzing the 2025 ‘$100 Million Supersellers’ List

In a special column for the State of the Majors, Edahn Golan breaks down what the top-performing fine jewelry sellers are doing right.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy