GIA India held the graduation ceremony

Dr Usha R. Balakrishnan was the chief guest at the ceremony 

GIA India held the graduation ceremony for its Graduate Gemologist (GG) and Graduate Diamonds (GD) students in Mumbai. Dr Usha R. Balakrishnan, Cultural Capital Consultant, was the chief guest at the ceremony. The event was also attended by Sriram Natarajan, Managing Director of GIA India and Apoorva Deshingkar, Senior Director – Education and Market Development, GIA India. The graduation ceremony commenced with an engaging session on the rich history of diamonds and gemstones in India. 

Sharing her thoughts on the occasion Dr. Balakrishnan said, “In our jewelry loving world, there are abundant opportunities for aspiring professionals. My advice to graduating students will be to apply what they have learnt and share that knowledge with their colleagues.”   

Sriram Natarajan, said, “I am very thankful to Dr. Balakrishnan for bringing such a different perspective to the gem and jewelry industry. I would also like to congratulate all the graduates, you all have made a significant investment of time and commitment to acquire this knowledge, which makes you all very special.”  

Apoorva Deshingkar added, “Graduation marks the completion of this program and the beginning of a new chapter filled with endless possibilities. On behalf of GIA India, I’d like to thank Usha ji for sharing her invaluable insights with our students. With their expertise and drive, I believe they will contribute to the continued advancement of our industry, shaping its future and upholding the values that GIA stands for.”   

Bhavia Adesara, GIA Diamonds Graduate, said, “I am not from the gem and jewelry industry, but I decided to enter it because I love jewelry. When I searched online for places to study, GIA was the first thing that popped up, and I must say the experience has been great.”    

Zahara Siddiqui, GIA Diamonds Graduate, said, “I have been trading in diamonds for the 15+ years. Even after spending so much time in the industry, there were still many things that I did not know, which I learned here at GIA.”    

Dhwani Jain, GIA Graduate Gemologist, said, “My family is in the jewelry business. I have tried my hand at various things, and finally, when I felt that jewelry was my calling, I decided to contribute to my family's business. My friends highly recommended the GIA Graduate Gemologist Program. Initially, I only knew about a handful of Navratna stones that are popular. But, here in GIA, I learned about many other stones that widened my understanding and perspective.”