With the goal of fostering networking among alumni, Gemological Institute of America (GIA) India hosted meet-andgreet events in Mumbai and New Delhi on September 28th and 30th respectively. More than 30 GIA alumni attended a professional development seminar on personal branding that was delivered by Hemant Shah, an industry consultant and speaker. An alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, Shah has been a consultant with various diamond and jewellery companies, specialising in branding, sales and marketing strategies.
Shah explained, “Personal branding is the art of building a unique brand around yourself as an individual. Putting a strong personal brand on the frontline can dramatically improve conversions. I was thrilled to speak at the GIA alumni event in Mumbai and share my experiences with these students who will go on to make their mark in the industry.”
Vikram Bhat, managing director of Kiara Jewellery and Dalloz India – both part of France-based Dalloz Group – and GIA Alumni Mumbai Chapter president, said, “The event was very immersive as Hemant could engage the audience continuously with his wit. His personal anecdotes were the highlight of the seminar. For me, the key takeaway from this seminar was that building a personal brand with consistent messaging is an essential element to long-term success.”
Speaking at the occasion, Nirupa Bhatt, managing director of GIA India and Middle East, said, “The GIA alumni are a tightly-knit community and events such as this serve as a great platform for them to connect with each other and network for business. I’d like to thank Hemant for sharing his experiences and insights on personal branding as I believe it will immensely benefit our alumni. We will continue to plan and conduct more seminars to further engage alumni across India.”
Over 45 GIA alumni attended a seminar on gemstone treatments at the meet-and-greet event hosted at Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi. GIA instructor Kashish Sachdeva, a GIA Graduate Gemologist, AJP, Graduate Pearls, presented insights on treatment processes for many commercially available gemstones.
Atul Jain, director of Atul Jewellers and Almas Jewels Pvt. Ltd. and a member of the GIA Alumni New Delhi Chapter, said, “The event was well conceived and attended, which was evident by the large number of alumni. The seminar on gemstone treatments was effectively conducted by Sachdeva, who answered all questions with remarkable ease and confidence – hallmarks of a GIA instructor. On behalf of the GIA Alumni New Delhi Chapter, I’d like to thank all those who worked behind the scenes to make this event a success.”
Nirupa Bhatt said, “I’m excited that the alumni event in New Delhi received participation in great numbers. GIA is invested in ongoing research efforts to identify new and existing treatments and share the latest updates through seminars with our alumni across India.”