Surat: He is still polishing diamonds sitting under a table lamp in a dark room, but Kurji Makwana (45) these days wears a halo that sets him apart from his colleagues.
This Class X pass artisan, who never coveted any attention while polishing his skills every day, turned into a hero among his 200-odd peers after his skills reached the White House! The 7.5-carat lab-grown diamond (LGD) that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted to the US First Lady Jill Biden had come from Makwana’s kitty.
But this artisan’s middle name must be sangfroid, for Makwana’s equanimity shines brighter in the midst of the ripples his skills created in his circles. The man only cherishes being the hero at home, keeping his loved ones contented, earning Rs 2 lakh per month.
“I was not aware that the diamond I was polishing was going to be gifted to the leader of the world’s most powerful country. It is indeed a matter of pride, and I am happy PM Modi chose it for the gift,” Makwana, an artisan at Greenlab Diamond, told TOI.
“My colleagues and I try to polish each diamond with accuracy for the best value,” said Makwana, who works among the select team of artisans that polish round shapes. The rough, that was grown at the Greenlab unit in Ichhapore, was around 21 carats and one of its parts was the gifted diamond.
A diamond artisan with 29 years of experience working in natural diamond polishing units, Makwana, a native of Shivrajpur in Jasdan of Rajkot, started polishing LGDs after work in natural diamonds reduced. He polishes around 180 carats every month.
“Makwana is an example of how the LGD industry is creating opportunities for many and they are earning the best wages. LGD is based on the Make in India concept of our PM Narendra Modi,” said Mukesh Patel, chairman, Greenlab Diamond.