| Laljibhai Tulsibhai Patel | |
| Birth Date: | 28 November 1955 |
| Birth Place: | Ugamedi, Botad, Gujarat, India[1] |
| Years Active: | 1985–present |
| Children: | 2 |
Laljibhai Patel (born 28 November 1955) is an Indian diamantaire, philanthropist, social activist, and the chairman of Dharmanandan Diamonds (DDPL). [2] He has been the head of Dharmanandan Diamonds for over four and a half decades.
Patel ranked in the top 10 wealthiest jewelers in India with a personal fortune of $480 million in a Wealth-X list of India's wealthiest jewelers released on July 1, 2015. [3] [4]
In 2015, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award by Retail Jewelers India for his contribution and success in the industry of luxury goods and his contribution to the betterment of society in Surat and throughout the State of Gujarat.[5]
After moving to Surat City from his hometown, Ugamedi, in 1974-1975, Laljibhai Patel began his career as a diamond trader. In 1985, along with his childhood friend Tulsibhai Goti, Patel founded a small diamond manufacturing unit named Shreeji Gems. The company grew, and in 1993, it was registered as a partnership firm and renamed Dharmanandan Diamonds. After 14 years, on August 31, 2007, it was formally incorporated as Dharmanandan Diamonds Pvt. Ltd. In November 2007, the company became a De Beers Sightholder.[6]
Patel was born at Ugamedi, a village in Botad district in the state of Gujarat, India, to a farmer family. He moved to Rajkot to complete his secondary school. He studied at Gurukul, Rajkot where he befriended his current business associate, Tulsibhai Goti. Patel is married and has two sons.[1] [7]
Laljibhai has been involved in several philanthropic causes. These include female foeticide, water conservation, education, health, and social illiteracy.
Under the presidency of Laljibhai Patel, the Samast Patidar Samaj[8] organized the "Save the Girl Child Mega Campaign" (Maha Laddu Beti Bachao Abhiyan). This initiative aimed to encourage empathy and participation in the movement against female foeticide and to promote gender equality. As part of the campaign, a symbolic gesture involved collecting a handful of grain and a glass of water from 235,000 households to create a Boondi laddu weighing 300,000 kg (660,000 lb) with a diameter of 65 ft (20 m) and a height of 35 ft (11 m).
To spread awareness, 1,70,000 six-page informative booklets were distributed throughout the state. On 1 January 2006, a gathering of 1.2 million people in Surat took an oath to never engage in or condone female foeticide. This event was acknowledged by the Limca Book of Records.[9]
The campaign significantly impacted the gender ratio in Gujarat, improving it to 920 girls per 1,000 boys from 761 girls in 2006. It also fostered a psychological shift, leading to a reduction in discrimination and promoting the celebration of the birth of girls on par with boys.
To address the issue of water conservation, Patel initiated a large-scale water conservation project in his native village of Ugamedi, located in the Botad district of Gujarat. He constructed three artificial ponds, each measuring 3.5 km (2.2 mi) in length, up to 45 ft (14 m) in depth, and 400 ft (120 m) in width, with a total storage capacity of nearly 50 million liters of fresh water. These ponds are the largest artificial ponds in Gujarat.
Initially, the river Sonal that flowed through the village was intended to fill these ponds. However, due to a weak monsoon, it became apparent that the river alone could not adequately fill the ponds.[10] After careful analysis, Patel identified another river, Keri, located 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away from the village, whose water was flowing into the ocean. He devised a solution to divert water from the Keri river to the Sonal river using an RCC pipeline with a diameter of three feet (0.91 m), effectively filling the three large ponds.
This innovative project marked the first instance in India of interlinking rivers, paying tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee's vision of river interlinking. The initiative aims to resolve the perennial problem of water scarcity in the region.[11]
Patel acquired the Narendra Modi suit for US$693,174 through an auction aimed at raising funds for the cleaning and preservation of the river Ganga, a significant symbol of Indian heritage.[12] This suit holds the record as the world's most expensive piece of clothing and is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.[13]
For the overall upliftment of the tribal area, Laljibhai Patel has built 10 schools in the Dang and Narmada district area, each of which has more than 500 tribal children studying.
Having studied at Gurukul Rajkot, Patel serves as a Trustee at Shree Swaminarayan Rajkot Gurukul, which has 53 branches in India and worldwide.
Having recognized the need for an institution similar to Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul for girls, Patel established the first-ever girls' Gurukul in Gujarat, located in Surat. This institution, spread over 60,000 square yards of land, is designed to accommodate 3,000 girls.
Patel, under the presidency of the Shantuben T. Patel Charitable Trust, initiated a campaign to donate essential amenities, such as artificial hands and legs, to individuals with disabilities.
Patel has provided monetary support to numerous hospitals, including RMS Multi-speciality Hospital in Dhandhuka, Swami Shree Nirdoshanand Manavseva Hospital in Timbi, Lions Cancer Detection Centre in Surat Civil Hospital, Kiran Hospital in Surat, Shree Swaminarayan Multi-specialty Hospital in Vadtal, among other healthcare organizations.