SourcingMar 15, 2023
Amid Uncertainties, India’s Diamond Industry Continues to Adjust 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.
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.
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.”
More on Policies & Issues
The Latest
Events & AwardsJul 11, 2025
The Edge’s Annual Conference Returns in SeptemberIts sessions will focus on inventory strategies, staff performance, retention and acquisition, emerging market trends, and more.
CollectionsJul 11, 2025
Piece of the Week: Miseno’s ‘Arco’ EarringsFor its 10th anniversary, Miseno designed the “Arco” earrings based on the Arco Felice, an arch conceptualized in A.D. 95 in Miseno, Italy.
TrendsJul 11, 2025
Kelly Osbourne’s Engagement Ring Is Sweet as HoneyInspired by fiancé Sid Wilson’s nickname for her, the white and yellow diamond ring features a unique honeycomb design.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
CollectionsJul 10, 2025
Penny Preville Celebrates 5 Decades of Jewelry DesignThe brand is marking its 50th anniversary with a limited-edition bangle, high jewelry suites, new collections, and more.
Weekly QuizJul 10, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsJul 10, 2025
Steven Goldfarb to Retire, Close Alvin Goldfarb JewelerGoldfarb said changes in the industry, coupled with his age and the updates needed to modernize his business, drove his decision.
MajorsJul 10, 2025
LVMH Names New Chairman, CEO of the AmericasLongtime LVMH executive Michael Burke has stepped into the role.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
Events & AwardsJul 10, 2025
IAC Gold and Diamond Conference Returns to NYC Central topics of next week’s event include climate action, labor rights, artisan preservation, and value retention in producing countries.
MajorsJul 10, 2025
Hearts On Fire Appoints New Sales DirectorVickie Rokkos has joined the jewelry company as its new national sales director of North America.
SurveysJul 09, 2025
Jewelry Stays Strong as Luxury Market Slows, Bain & Co. Says Turbulence will be the new baseline for luxury as it faces its biggest potential setbacks in 15 years, a recent report said.
Supplier BulletinJul 09, 2025
JCK Unwrapped: Trends, Insights & Post-Show TipsSponsored by Rio Grande Jewelry Supply
CollectionsJul 09, 2025
Cece Jewellery’s New Fruit Jewels Celebrate Life’s SweetnessThe “For the Love of Fruits” collection features five fruit pendants, each holding a different meaning.
EditorsJul 09, 2025
The Most-Read Stories of 2025, So FarDiamonds and crimes (some involving diamonds) top the list of National Jeweler’s most popular stories halfway through the year.
SourcingJul 09, 2025
Florida Couple Finds 3-Carat Diamond in ArkansasThey discovered “The Dash Diamond,” named for their dog, at the Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this month.
CollectionsJul 08, 2025
Mikimoto’s High Jewelry Collection Turns Pearls into PetalsThe “Les Pétales” collection imagines roses caught mid-bloom as a tribute to nature’s beauty.
ColumnistsJul 08, 2025
Peter Smith: Why Jewelers Struggle With Premium PricingLuxury brands charge thousands for their shoes and handbags. Jewelers pricing diamond products should take note, Peter Smith writes.
IndependentsJul 08, 2025
David Rotenberg of David Craig Jewelers Dies at 79Rotenberg was an active member of the American Gem Society and an accomplished appraiser who also worked with therapy dogs at a hospital.
TechnologyJul 08, 2025
‘Diamond Divas’ Brings the Showroom to Social Media Reality SeriesIt follows New York-based brand Shahla Karimi Jewelry’s all-women team in “Say Yes to the Dress” meets “The Office”-style episodes.
Policies & IssuesJul 07, 2025
Higher Tariffs Set to Take Effect Aug. 1, Officials SayThe announcement comes just as the 90-day freeze on the “reciprocal” tariffs nears its end, giving countries more time to negotiate.
SourcingJul 07, 2025
Natural Diamond Council CEO David Kellie To Step DownKellie, who joined the organization in 2019, will remain in his role through the end of 2025.
CrimeJul 07, 2025
7 Suspects Charged in California Jewelry Store BurglaryPolice officers apprehended the suspects as they were allegedly attempting to gain entry into another jewelry store.
Events & AwardsJul 07, 2025
Applications Open for Ella Klein Internship The program, a collaboration between Julius Klein Diamonds and the Women’s Jewelry Association, is in its second year.
Supplier BulletinJul 03, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New AmbassadorThe 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry HallThe West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.
SourcingJul 03, 2025
SRK Announces Its Natural Diamonds Are Now Carbon-NegativeThis past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.
