At the IIJS Signature Celebration Night, the spotlight was on women entrepreneurs and designers who have redefined the jewellery industry with their vision and innovation. These trailblazers were felicitated for their commitment to excellence and entrepreneurship. They have shattered barriers and redefined norms, carving a distinct space for themselves in the jewellery industry with their contributions and pave the way for future generations.
- USHA BALAKRISHNAN
Dr. Usha Balakrishnan, based in Mumbai, is a renowned independent scholar and historian specialising in Indian art and jewellery. With a doctorate In Ancient Indian Culture and a postdoctoral degree in Museum Studies from New York University, her seminal works include Dance of the Peacock: Jewellery Traditions of India, reflecting India’s 5000-year history of adornment, and Jewels of the Nizam, a government-commissioned documentation of the Nizam of Hyderabad’s royal treasures. Other publications include
Diamonds Across Time, Enduring Splendor: Jewellery of India’s Thar Desert, India: Jewels that Enchanted the World, Treasures of the Deccan, etc. Silver & Gold: Visions of Arcadia: The Amrapali Collection of Indian Jewellery is forthcoming.
Dr. Usha’s contributions extend to curating significant exhibitions and museum galleries like the Museum of Meenakari Heritage at Jaipur, Shringara: Adornment at Mumbai ‘s CSMVS Museum, Enduring Splendor at UCLA’s Fowler Museum and Meditations in Gold at the Flint Institute of Arts. She has also been instrumental in curating jewellery conferences, offering insights into India’s vast and ancient jewelled heritage.
FARAH KHAN ALI
Farah Khan Ali, a Graduate Gemologist and Jewellery Designer from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America (1993), has been redefining luxury jewellery for over 30 years. Founder of Farah Khan Fine Jewellery, her opulent and bold designs have become a hallmark of craftsmanship, creativity, and style, inspiring a new generation of designers.
A recipient of multiple jewellery design awards, Farah’s brand Farah Khan is available in the US, UAE, Qatar, and India. Global icons such as Beyonce, Serena Williams, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have donned her creations.
Her jewellery collaborations with Tanishq, Caratlane, Nadia Swarovski, and Magnum Ice Creams highlight her innovative spirit and global appeal.
In 2019, Farah celebrated 25 years of her journey with the international release of her coffee table book, Farah Khan: A Bejewelled Life, the first by an Indian jewellery designer to achieve global acclaim and one that the New York Times covered in its book reviews.
Her commitment to her design journey has been nothing short of inspirational and as she says, “I don’t love to design, I live to design.”
PALLAVI FOLEY
Founder of Pallavi Foley Fine Jewelry and recipient of numerous prestigious national and international design awards, Pallavi Foley is one of India’s most innovative jewellery designers, celebrated for her signature sculptural shapes and bold, futuristic feminine forms.
A graduate of NIFT Delhi, Pallavi further enriched her knowledge in Italy. During her decade-long tenure with Tanishq, she created several award-winning collections. She later launched her flagship store at The Leela Palace, where her creations have captivated celebrities and connoisseurs worldwide.
Gifted with extraordinary imagination, Pallavi has also designed breathtaking crowns for renowned beauty pageants and created out-of-the-box jewellery masterpieces.
VAISHALI BANERJEE
Vaishali Banerjee, Managing Director, PGI India, transitioned from advertising and marketing to the jewellery industry to establish platinum as an aspirational and sustainable category in India’s traditional market. She has pioneered business opportunities through a collaborative approach, leveraging data-driven insights and a deep understanding of evolving consumer needs. Under her visionary leadership, Platinum Guild International has built a thriving platinum jewellery market in India and expanded into the Middle East, tailoring strategies to its unique socio-cultural dynamics. Vaishali’s expertise in category creation, marketing, and relationship building is reflected in PGI’s strong industry partnerships, impactful campaigns, and growing consumer loyalty.
REENA AHLUWALIA
Reena Ahluwalia is a globally acclaimed artist, jewellery designer, and professor. Her jewellery and artworks have made historical imprints, including creating a tribute Diamond Tiara for Catherine, Princess of Wales, a Guinness World Record watch and a diamond setting for the historic Mace of Ontario in Canada. She has also been featured on a Belgian postage stamp celebrating the world of diamonds, one of only a handful of living jewellery artists to achieve this rare honour.
Reena’s work appears in museums and is owned by distinguished collectors worldwide. Reena is known for building, advising, and strategising impactful, world-class diamond and jewellery projects with top-tier brands and organisations. She is an innovator in technology and blockchain, a respected historian, and a sought-after speaker. Residing in Toronto, Reena is a professor and a member of the George Brown College Jewellery Program Advisory Committee and a Fellow of the Institute without Boundaries (IwB).
REVATHI KANT
Revathi Kant is the Senior Vice President & Chief Design Officer at Titan Company Ltd. She is a Design & Innovation strategist with over 18 years of experience in applying Design Thinking across diverse domains. A marketing veteran and a multifunctional hybrid thinker, she has the knowledge and experience to transform insights—grounded at the intersection of business, user benefits, and human psychology—into innovative strategies and offerings that drive revenue growth. She is a firm believer in disruption through design and is passionate about how design can impact and elevate lives.
She focuses on continuously building design as a unique and compelling differentiator in the sustainable growth of business.
She heads the Design Excellence Center (DEC), the design arm of Titan Company, which caters to the design needs of the entire organisation across categories. With a team of over 90 talented designers from across the globe, DEC is reputed for creating differentiated products, setting a benchmark in the world of jewellery and watches. It has been widely influential in defining fashion and introducing new concepts with milestone collections and signature styles.
Revathi spends a great deal of time on consumer research and fashion trends to derive key insights that drive user-centric designs. Integrating design into business is her key strength.
She was featured in the “W-Power Trailblazers 2019” list by Forbes India and was a finalist in the Innovation category of the WeQual Awards, Asia Pacific 2023.
Her special areas of interest include people and their behaviour, metaphysics, spirituality, and alternative healing.