The Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association (IDCA) celebrated a significant milestone in its history: the 40th anniversary of its founding. To commemorate this remarkable achievement, the IDCA hosted a special celebration to recognize the dedication, innovation, and leadership that led to the formation of the association and shaped its success over the years.
IDCA President and Founding Member, Mr. Haridas Kotahwala, opened the program and gave the welcome address.
The afternoon also featured remarks from the Chief Guest, Ambassador Binaya Pradhan, the Consul General of India, New York, Dr. Rajnikant Shah, the visionary behind the formation of the association and Mr. Pravin Mehta, founding member and the first President of the Association.
Since its inception in 1984, the IDCA has been committed to providing its members with a platform to connect and network and to promote the highest ethical business practices. It is also an opportunity for its members to have a united voice and a common goal; promoting the business of color stones, diamonds, and the jewelry industry. Through the years, it has grown into a cornerstone of the jewelry industry and the organization's journey has been marked by continuous innovation and dedication to excellence in service.
(Graphic provided by IDCA)
Mr. Kotahwala, IDCA President then paid tribute to the Past Presidents. He said “Our 40th anniversary is not just a time to celebrate our past but to recognize the individuals who have been instrumental in shaping who we are today. We are grateful to our past leaders for their guidance, vision, and dedication”.
All the past presidents present at the event were honored and presented with a “Certificate of Appreciation”.
IDCA also acknowledged and thanked Ms. Anna Martin, who has been a friend and supporter of IDCA since its inception as well as Mr. Hemant Prajapati, who has served as IDCA’s CPA for over 30 years.
While the event was a celebration of past achievements, it also provided an opportunity for the next generation members to share their vision for the future. Mr. Shekhar Shah, while accepting the tribute on behalf of his father Dr. Shah noted that when IDCA was formed, it was a business voice intertwined with community and social causes. Today, our industry has gone through significant changes and we now need to bridge the gap between what IDCA was and what it needs to be moving forward. This is a crucial time when we need to unite and strengthen our professional representation across the trade.
Mr. Kunal Shah who spoke on behalf of the IDCA Board Next Gen members reiterated this while acknowledging that tremendous progress was made in the last 40 years along with the profile of IDCA member's businesses where today we are the dominant force in the industry but we need to evolve in order to succeed 40 years into the future. He outlined key initiatives that the board will undertake in 2025 and encouraged more of the Next Gen members to join the IDCA board.
IDCA Jt. Secretary Mr. Vibhor Saraf hosted the evening and Secretary Mr. Manoj Bhandari gave the vote of thanks.
