Navrattan Kothari World-Class Leader KGK Group From Jaipur to 16 Countries
Mr. Navrattan Kothari, Chairman, KGK Group has been managing the group for over 50 years and under his, guidance KGK has turned into a world-class business conglomerate with state-of-the-art infrastructure. Under the able guidance of Mr. Navrattan Kothari, the KGK group has expanded far and wide. In the beginning, the business concentrated on colored gemstone trading, Mr. Kothari opened new avenues for the flourishing business. He introduced diamond trading in the year 1972–73 that proved to be a turning point in the history of KGK Group. Today the group has diamond manufacturing units in India, South Africa, Russia, and Botswana; jewelry manufacturing in India, Hong Kong, USA, Thailand & China, and gemstone manufacturing in India, China, and Thailand — catering to varied customers. The group sources rough diamonds directly from De Beers, being a sightholder , Alrosa, and Rio Tinto Diamonds, being the top 3 diamond mining companies of the world. What started with the trading of colored gemstones has now attained great heights with Mr. Kothari’s zeal, vision, and persistence. After setting benchmarks in the first trading of diamond and gemstones, and then manufacturing of gems and jewelry, the group’s recent foray into retailing under the astute leadership of his son, Mr. Sanjay Kothari, with its brand ‘Entice’ is yet another milestone achieved by the group.
Mr. Kothari embodies all the characteristics of Navratri (nine gems) ruling the world. If sparkle in his eyes denotes Diamond, his cool head flashes out the Pearl effect. His ever-shining face reflects the sheen of Ruby while his supreme authority in the gem’s world signifies the power of Red Coral. His unprecedented success relates to Cat’s Eye and the eternal aura around him gives a feel of Yellow Sapphire. His unflinching self-confidence simply shows the element of Emerald in him and the constituent of Hessonite (Gomed) in him keeps him energetic and always on the prowl. His ability to realize all his dreams mirrors the dash of Blue Sapphire running high in his persona.
By the time he grew young, his grandfather Sh. Ghisi Lalji Kothari and father Sh. Keshri Majlis Kothari had become icons in the jewelry industry. Success could have come easily to him by virtue of his rich legacy, but he chose to trudge the path less traveled. He learned the ropes of his family business the hard way from the grass root level. Apart from the celebrated surname, he left everything at his home in Jaipur on his first business venture to Chennai.
True to his name, Mr. Navrattan Kothari has shone in every sphere of life. Be it business, education, philanthropy, hospitality, or health care, Mr. Kothari has constantly set new benchmarks of success. But he is still modest, grounded, and humble to the core. “O, God! I am dedicating you whatever you have given to me” is one of the tenets of his life which is built upon scriptures. With a passion to be a perfectionist, he has embarked on a journey that is endless.
Heritage and Tourism
Though Mr. Kothari lords over the global conglomerate — KGK Group, his soul still lies in his motherland Jaipur. He aspires to give back to his native place in whatever small way he can. “I can’t repay the debt of my motherland but I will try to reduce it through my acts,” says this son of the soil. He not only takes up every opportunity of making Jaipur a better city but also creates new avenues to conserve the rich heritage of this historic city. The magical restoration of dilapidated Jal Mahal in Jaipur is a living testimony to Mr. Kothari’s love for the city’s legacy. Far from any commercial interest, the emotional connection with Jaipur’s rich heritage prompted Mr. Kothari to take up this arduous task. Jal Mahal restoration is just an extension of his interest in preserving the heritage infrastructure of the city. It’s a tribute to his forefathers who were custodians in the office of the erstwhile Jaipur royalty. “My heart pains when I see the erosion of our heritage. I have been brought up with the legendary Nahargarh fort in the backdrop and the majestic Jal Mahal a few meters away. I wish these structures to remain forever. At least memories of my dream city will be preserved for ages,” he says.
Health
For him, social service is a way of life. Sharing the zodiac sign with personalities like Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and Helen Keller, Mr. Kothari has always been compassionate. Donations, contributions to social causes, and benevolence are part of his chores. The plight of people moves him. Especially those who are terminally ill. His heart melts whenever he comes across cancer patients. Their unbearable suffering and trauma of their family members prompted him to start Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Jaipur for cancer treatment in 1996. Managed by KG Kothari Memorial Trust, this hospital is equipped with all the modern treatment technology including the rare linear treatment technology. “It’s difficult to be born as a human being. If you are not able to help others, it’s a sheer wastage of life” he believes.
Education
An alumnus of St. Xavier’s School, Mr. Kothari has been kindling the light of education across the city. As the president of Subodh Shiksha Samiti for decades, Mr. Kothari has groomed thousands of children in and around Jaipur city. “From KG to PG, children should get value education. Only the right education can evolve a kid into a responsible citizen. My mission is to provide education to each and every section of society,” he shares. The Samiti runs schools, degree colleges, management institutes, and engineering colleges in and around the city. Now Samiti is bracing up to start a university to include the whole gamut of education. Apart from formal education, Mr. Kothari has also been actively involved in imparting industrial training. He has personally trained over 4000 aspirants in the diamond & jewelry trade. Most of his disciples are now running a diamond/jewelry business.
Real Estate
“A true native never forgets his motherland even if you take the native out of his motherland” this saying goes without doubt for Mr. Kothari whose love for the motherland has prompted him to invest in the growth of the state and particularly the city of Jaipur which he holds close to heart. Under Mr. Navrattan Kothari’s astute leadership the group is now venturing into the real estate development and the hospitality industry. The group is getting into the development of the industrial township, ultra-luxury residential apartments, corporate park, hotels, resorts, private recreation clubs, etc.