FICCI FLO, under the leadership of National President Ms. Poonam Sharma, hosted its Pre-Diwali Networking event, based on a unique theme, “The Power of Adornment: Jewellery as Passion, Identity & Business,” held at Desire Hall, Le Meridien, Windsor Place, Janpath, New Delhi. The event featured jewellery connoisseur and actor, Ms. Neelam Kothari Soni, with the host Ms Sheetal Bamalwa, partner at Nemichand Bamalwa & Sons Jewellers.
The session was chaired by Swati Verma and Sunita Kanoria, initiative heads of Handloom, Textile, and Handicrafts. This Pre-Diwali networking event focused on educating attendees about the art of fine jewellery and facilitating engaging conversations on passion, identity, and entrepreneurship in this industry. The session was witnessed by many past presidents, GB members, FLO, and YFLO members.
GB member, Ms. Sunita Kanoria, conceptualized this event and organized an interactive session between Ms. Neelam and Ms. Sheetal on Jewellery as a business. The session started with the bespoke jeweller, Sheetal Bamalwa, asking interesting questions to Ms. Neelam Kothari, centered around how to create a successful women-led jewellery brand in India and making wise choices in jewel purchasing despite the current skyrocketing prices of diamonds and gold.
During her presidential address, Ms. Poonam Sharma talked about the importance of jewellery in life and turning jewels into pieces of art. Also, she added that there are various opportunities available for women entrepreneurs in this industry. Ms. Poonam also highlighted the efforts of FICCI FLO towards supporting women entrepreneurs by providing them a platform for promoting their businesses and traditional handcrafted jewellery.
Top Highlights And Topics Covered
- The session facilitated a dialogue between Ms. Sheetal Bamalwa and the main speaker, Ms. Neelam Kothari Soni, for educating the audience on creating a successful women-led Jewellery brand with passion and purpose.
- This Pre-Diwali networking event focused on enabling networking for members to connect them with industry leaders, and this time, provided them with insights from the industry.
- Neelam Kothari Soni shared her journey from her Bollywood career to becoming a successful Jewellery designer. She started her acting career at the age of 15 with no connections to the film industry. Also, she has faced many challenges, like a language barrier and constant family pressure.
- Born and brought up in a family of jewellers in Hong Kong, Ms. Neelam learned the art of jewellery design from her father. She always wanted to start her own brand and design beautiful pieces. Ms. Neelam emphasized considering jewellery as more than an adornment but as a passion, identity, and business.
- Known for pioneering the gold jewellery retail culture in India, Ms. Sheetal also highlighted seeing jewels as a symbol of empowerment among women. She also underlined the need for an alternative after the skyrocketed prices of gold and diamond jewels.
- Ms. Neelam Kothari talked about using platinum in her jewellery to provide the best value pieces. Also, she suggested the audience purchase high-end colour stones like Burmese Ruby, Sapphire, and Emeralds with proper certification.
- Also, she continued the discussion by talking about lab-grown vs natural diamonds, discussing their benefits and value. Ms. Neelam said that purchasing natural diamonds for gifting or investment is better than buying lab-grown diamonds.
Impact and Outcome
Around 128 attendees were present at the Pre-Diwali networking event and witnessed engaging conversations, industry insights, and inspiring stories centered on jewellery. The session focused on educating attendees about what efforts and process goes into making a successful brand in India. Also, this event highlighted the importance of jewellery and how to make an informed buying decision.
The Pre-Diwali networking event ended with a networking session with cocktails and snacks. It highlighted how jewellery can be a means of self-expression and a successful business venture. Attendees left with newfound knowledge, appreciation for fine jewellery, and memorable experiences from this sparkling session. This event is a testament to FICCI FLO’s efforts towards empowering women entrepreneurs through education and collaboration.