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As the doors close today on IIJS Bharat Premiere 2026 in Mumbai, the 42nd edition of the world’s second-largest gem & jewellery B2B show wraps up a week that once again proved business, purpose, and prestige can share the same stage. Alongside the bustling trade floors of the Jio World Convention Centre and the Bombay Exhibition Centre, this edition’s show was marked by moments that reached far beyond commerce: from the flagship CSR initiative, Jewellers for Hope 2026, to the glittering IIJS Celebration Night, which honoured the global titans upon whose shoulders the industry stands.
Organised by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), IIJS Bharat Premiere lived up to its monumental scale. Spread across two venues, the Jio World Convention Centre (5–9 August) and the Bombay Exhibition Centre (6–10 August), the show drew over 2,100 exhibitors and more than 50,000 trade visitors from over 1,300 cities across India and nearly 80 countries, all under this year’s resonant theme, “Music of India”.
The show floor spanned the full breadth of the industry: loose stones and lab-grown diamonds, GI-tagged craft pavilions celebrating regional artisanship, and The Select Club, which showcased over 110 high-end couture exhibitors. The IGJME tech and machinery showcase brought the industry’s manufacturing side into focus, while the Innov8 Talks series ran throughout the week with sessions on natural and lab-grown diamonds, gold and silver market dynamics, social media strategy, and the future of the gold trade—pairing commerce with essential conversation.
The grandeur of the show was matched by the prestige of its official opening. On 5th August, GJEPC hosted the IIJS Celebration Night, bringing together leading figures from the Indian and global gem and jewellery industry for an evening of high-level recognition. The ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Shri Rajesh Gawande, Secretary of Protocol, FDI, and Diaspora Affairs for Maharashtra, alongside GJEPC’s senior leadership.
In a moment of profound significance, the Council felicitated nine global icons as Industry Legends, honouring their extraordinary leadership and contributions to the international diamond, gem, and jewellery trade. The event, held in association with the World Gold Council (WGC) and powered by India Gold Metaverse (IGM), celebrated a pantheon of visionaries:
Mr. Paul Rowley (De Beers Group) for his 40-year journey and leadership in the diamond trade.
Mr. Ronnie VanderLinden (World Diamond Council) for his tireless advocacy for natural diamonds.
Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri (CIBJO) for leading the World Jewellery Confederation to UN recognition.
Mr. David J. Bonaparte (Jewellers of America) for his advocacy in the world’s largest jewellery market.
Mr. Pritesh Patel (GIA) for modernising gemological research with AI-driven technologies.
Mr. Ahmed Bin Sulayem (DMCC) for his vision in creating Dubai’s premier business district.
Mr. Tawhid Abdulla (Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group) for shaping Dubai into a global jewellery hub.
Mr. Anoop Mehta (Bharat Diamond Bourse) for his central role in building the world’s largest diamond exchange in Mumbai.
Mr. Mehul Shah (World Federation of Diamond Bourses), who made history as the first Indian to hold the top post at this apex global body.
The evening was also a moment of heartfelt gratitude for the pioneers of the Indian industry, with GJEPC honouring its former Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, and the IIJS conveners who have been instrumental in the show’s growth. The formal proceedings, which concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Vice Chairman Shaunak Parikh, transitioned into a celebration of art and culture with a soul-stirring musical performance by the renowned duo Sachet–Parampara.
While the Celebration Night set a tone of prestige, it was the evening of 6 August, at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai, that showcased the industry’s defining trait of compassion. Now in its 11th edition, Jewellers for Hope is GJEPC’s signature CSR initiative, presented in association with De Beers Group and the World Gold Council, powered by GIA, with HRD Antwerp as co-partner. Established in 2014, the initiative has channelled contributions toward causes spanning girl child education, healthcare, tribal welfare, sanitation, the rescue of children from trafficking, disability support, maternal care, mental health services, and armed forces welfare.
This 42nd edition pushed the initiative’s cumulative total past ₹11 crore (approximately USD 1.15 million), raised across 16 partner organisations. The evening’s guest list reflected the weight the industry places on the cause. Shri Rahul Narwekar, Hon’ble Speaker of the Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly, attended as Chief Guest, joined by actor and philanthropist Madhuri Dixit. They were joined by GJEPC Chairman Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman Shaunak Parikh, and conveners Anil Virani, Ashish Borda, and Mansukh Kothari, as well as senior figures from partner organisations, including Shweta Harit of De Beers Group and Forevermark, Sachin Jain of the World Gold Council, Amit Pratihari of GIA India, and Paul De Wachter of HRD Antwerp.
“Giving back has always been an integral part of our industry’s values”, said Kirit Bhansali, Chairman of GJEPC, of the initiative’s continued growth. Rahul Narwekar echoed the sentiment, calling the evening a reminder that success is measured not only in business achievements, but in the positive impact created and the lives improved. Madhuri Dixit, whose long-standing commitment to child welfare and education made her a natural presence, reflected, “True success is measured not only by our achievements but by the lives we touch”, praising Jewellers for Hope as a platform built to inspire further acts of generosity.
This year’s proceeds will be channelled through the Gem & Jewellery National Relief Foundation (GJNRF), the industry’s own foundation, established in 1999, toward supporting the long-term educational needs of children over the next three to four years. The contribution was formally received by Praveenshankar Pandya, Chairman, GJNRF.
The night’s most anticipated moment came with the Dinner with an Icon auction, where guests bid for the chance to spend an evening with Dr. Saurabh Gadgil. Every rupee raised went to Access Life, the NGO championed by Madhuri Dixit, which supports children undergoing cancer treatment and their families, extending the evening’s philanthropic spirit well beyond the show floor.
As IIJS Bharat Premiere 2026 draws to a close today, the show leaves behind the usual measures of a successful edition—new collections, new connections, new business. But this year, it also leaves behind a reminder that India’s gem and jewellery industry is admired not only for what it creates, but for who it honours and what it gives.
