KIRA Wins Highest Employment Award at 52nd IGJA: What It Means for Lab-Grown Diamond Buyers
How 10,500+ employees, integrated manufacturing, and decades of diamond expertise define KIRA's journey in lab-grown diamonds
10,500+
Employees on company rolls
5,000+
CVD growing machines
400,000+
Polished carats per month
100 MW
Captive solar power
Shanay Parekh and Ashish Lakhani, Directors, receive the award for Highest Employment on Company Rolls on behalf of Team KIRA from Shri Amit Shah, Hon'ble Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, with Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and Shri Eknath Shinde, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
For years, one of the biggest discussions around lab-grown diamond manufacturing was its impact on employment.
As technology transformed how diamonds could be created, many questioned whether automation would reduce the need for skilled diamond professionals who built Surat's position as a global diamond hub.
KIRA's journey presents a different perspective.
At the 52nd GJEPC India Gem Jewellery Awards, KIRA was recognised with the Highest Employment on Company Rolls Award, acknowledging a workforce of more than 10,500 direct employees. The achievement came alongside another milestone, Shri Vallabhbhai Patel, Founder of KIRA, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the diamond industry.
Both awards were presented by Shri Amit Shah, Hon'ble Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, who used his address to set out a national ambition for lab-grown diamonds and urged the industry to keep the entire manufacturing chain in Indian hands.
Together, these recognitions represent more than awards. They reflect manufacturing scale, long-term industry commitment, and the people behind the growth of one of India's leading lab-grown diamond companies.
01 · The recognitionWhat the GJEPC India Gem Jewellery Awards Recognition Actually Measures
The GJEPC India Gem Jewellery Awards (IGJA) is among the most recognised platforms celebrating achievements across the gem and jewellery sector. Organised by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the awards recognise companies and individuals contributing to the growth of the India gem and jewellery industry.
The Highest Employment on Company Rolls category specifically recognises companies based on their direct employee strength.
For KIRA, the recognition represents more than a number. It represents thousands of professionals working across different stages of diamond manufacturing, from production and processing to quality control, grading, and operations.
Unlike workforce models dependent primarily on contractual labour, direct employment reflects a company's investment in people, training, operational consistency, and long-term capability.
Why Employment on Company Rolls Matters
In a manufacturing ecosystem, workforce structure plays an important role in evaluating operational depth.
KIRA's 10,500+ employees represent a directly employed workforce supported through structured systems and processes. The company's operations are also aligned with global sustainability and ethical compliance expectations, including SMETA audits and Sedex registration.
For international buyers, retailers, and jewellery partners, this provides greater confidence in supply chain transparency, workforce practices, and manufacturing reliability.
02 · ScaleKIRA's Growth in Numbers: Building Scale Through Manufacturing
The growth of a lab-grown diamond company is not measured only by the number of diamonds produced. It is measured by the infrastructure, technology, and people required to consistently deliver quality at scale.
Over the last four years, KIRA has expanded across every stage of its manufacturing ecosystem.
Growth metric
Journey
CVD Reactors
Increased from 1,000 to 5,000
Certified Diamond Production
Increased from 100,000 to 400,000+ carats per month
Employees
Increased from 2,000 to 10,500+ employees on company rolls
Manufacturing Facility
Expanded to 1 million sq. ft. facility in Surat
Renewable Energy
100 MW captive solar plant
Global Trade Network
Presence across 75+ countries with 6,000+ partners
This growth reflects KIRA's focus on building an integrated lab grown diamond manufacturing process, where technology, skilled craftsmanship, and quality systems work together.
From CVD diamond production scale to cutting, polishing, grading, and certification, every stage requires specialised expertise.
The result is a manufacturing ecosystem built to support consistent supply for global jewellery markets.
From the Chief Guest's address
"The era of lab-grown diamonds is upon us, and I urge you not to focus merely on the price point. In terms of volume, the market for lab-grown diamonds is poised to expand to nearly 50 times the size of the current diamond market."
Shri Amit Shah · Hon'ble Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation
The Minister called on the industry to change its scale rather than its speed, and to ensure the whole category stays Indian-owned: "from making the machine to the moment the jewellery reaches a woman's hand, the whole system should be in India's control."
That integrated model is the one KIRA already operates. Growing, cutting, polishing, grading, certification and jewellery manufacturing all happen under one roof in Surat, on the world's largest fleet of CVD machines.
Shri Vallabhbhai Patel, Founder, KIRA, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from Shri Amit Shah, Hon'ble Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, at the 52nd India Gem & Jewellery Awards, Bharat Diamond Bourse, Mumbai.
03 · The founderThe Lifetime Achievement Behind the Company
The Highest Employment Award was accompanied by another significant recognition at the same ceremony, the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Shri Vallabhbhai Patel.
With more than 55 years of experience in the diamond industry, Shri Patel's journey represents decades of contribution to India's diamond manufacturing landscape.
His career began at a diamond cutting bench in Bhavnagar in 1971. In 1985, he founded Kiran Gems, which went on to become one of the world's largest natural diamond manufacturing companies.
His experience in building large-scale diamond manufacturing operations laid the foundation for KIRA's vision in the lab-grown diamond sector.
"Vallabhbhai is a leader and a legend in this industry. When he speaks, people listen. He has vision, and he has the ability to build that vision at a scale nobody else here can match."
Rajesh Lakhani · Founding Partner
04 · ContinuityFrom Kiran Gems to KIRA: Decades of Building the Diamond Trade
KIRA's growth story is built on the same principles that shaped Shri Vallabhbhai Patel's earlier journey, manufacturing expertise, operational discipline, and commitment to the diamond trade.
The transition from natural diamonds to laboratory grown diamonds represents an evolution of capability, not a departure from craftsmanship.
"He continues to visit the factory floor and to ask the questions a cutter would ask. After fifty-five years in the trade, the standard we work to is still the one he sets."
Ashish Lakhani · Director
05 · For the tradeWhat This Award Means for Jewellers and Retailers Sourcing from KIRA
For jewellery businesses, sourcing decisions depend on more than product availability. They depend on consistency, quality assurance, production capability, and trust.
KIRA's employment scale provides insight into the depth of its manufacturing operations. A workforce of 10,500+ employees supports every stage of the diamond journey, including growing, cutting, polishing, grading, certification, and fulfillment.
For trade partners, this translates into:
01Greater production continuity
02Stronger quality control processes
03Dedicated expertise across manufacturing stages
04Scalable supply capabilities
05Greater transparency in sourcing
For businesses looking for reliable lab grown diamond manufacturers in India, operational scale becomes an important factor in evaluating long-term partnerships.
06 · ResponsibilitySolar-Powered, SMETA-Audited, and People-Focused: KIRA's ESG Commitment
The Highest Employment Award also reflects broader sustainability and responsible manufacturing practices. KIRA's approach combines:
Environmental Responsibility
Through its 100 MW captive solar plant, KIRA continues to integrate renewable energy into its manufacturing operations.
Social Responsibility
With over 10,500 employees, KIRA contributes to employment generation across Surat and surrounding regions of Gujarat.
Ethical Manufacturing
SMETA audits and Sedex registration support transparency in workplace practices and supply chain standards.
For global jewellery businesses increasingly focused on responsible sourcing, these factors are becoming essential considerations when selecting a lab grown diamond supplier.
07 · The peopleBuilding the Future of Diamonds Through People
The 52nd GJEPC India Gem Jewellery Awards recognition represents more than an employment milestone. It represents the people, processes, and manufacturing capabilities behind KIRA's growth.
The journey of lab-grown diamonds is not only about technology. It is about the skilled professionals who transform innovation into finished diamonds and create value across the global jewellery ecosystem.
"Most awards in this industry recognise what a company has sold. This one recognises how many people it employs. More than ten thousand families in Surat have built this business, and this award belongs to them."
Shanay Parekh · Director, KIRATeam KIRA and the extended family at the 52nd India Gem & Jewellery Awards, Bharat Diamond Bourse, Mumbai.
At KIRA, the vision remains simple
"Har ghar hira, har ghar KIRA."
A diamond in every home, supported by the people who make it possible.
