From ₹12 to ₹12,000 Crore — Surat's Diamond King Savji Dholakia
Padma Shri Savji Dholakia, founder of Hari Krishna Exports and Surat's most celebrated diamond king, has shared his extraordinary rags-to-riches journey with the world — and the Diamond City is listening.
Born on April 12, 1962, in the small village of Dudhala in Gujarat's Amreli district, Savji came from a simple farming family. At just 13 years old, around 1975, he left home for Surat — the diamond capital of India — with only ₹12.50 in his pocket, barely enough for the bus fare. What he did next over the following four decades turned him into a living legend.
He started as a low-paid worker in a diamond polishing factory, earning about ₹179 per month, diligently saving ₹39 every month. There were no shortcuts, no safety nets — only a relentless hunger to build something meaningful from nothing. From diamond cutting to polishing, to becoming a diamond broker, and finally the owner of Hari Krishna Exports, he had hands-on experience of every vertical of the diamond trade.
For Surat's millions of migrant workers and aspiring entrepreneurs — many of whom arrived in this city with nothing more than hope and a bag — Savji Dholakia's story is not just inspirational. It is deeply personal. His journey mirrors the story of Surat itself: a city that transforms raw potential into something that shines.
The Spiritual Discipline Behind the Empire
What drove a teenage boy from a dusty Gujarat village to build a global empire? His journey has been defined by perseverance and deep faith. In a recent podcast that has gone widely viral, Savji opened up about the spiritual practice that he credits as a turning point in his life — chanting 108 names of God 100 times every single day for three years. He calls it the invisible foundation beneath his visible success.
Haan, samay to 40 saal laga to laga na; maine 10 saal polishing ka kaam kiya, business chalu kiya; usko to 40 saal ho gaye.
— Savji Dholakia, Founder, Hari Krishna ExportsHe added that the vision of becoming one of India's most respected businessmen was always there — he simply manifested it, day by day, chant by chant. And right beside that ambition stood a value passed down from his mother:
My mom always told me — whether or not you become a big man, you must always try to be a good human being. I adhered to her advice and today I am what I am.
— Savji DholakiaThat philosophy of humility over ego has stayed with him through every stage of growth, and it is the quality that Surat's residents — who call him "Savji Kaka" with genuine affection — admire most.
Diamonds, KISNA and a Global Footprint
Since its founding in 1992, Hari Krishna Exports has consistently presented natural diamonds in the most exquisite shapes, cuts and sizes for the world. The company today manufactures more than 45,000 carats of diamonds every month, exporting them to 81 countries and counting.
Under Savji's leadership, the business expanded into jewellery with the launch of the KISNA brand in 2005, now one of India's largest diamond jewellery lines with thousands of retail outlets nationwide. Today, Hari Krishna Exports maintains offices in New York, Hong Kong, and Antwerp, with its presence across 110 countries worldwide, led by a family team of visionary leaders who each oversee key pillars — from AI-powered manufacturing to global marketing.
The Boss Who Gives Back — Generously
What separates Savji Dholakia from virtually every other industrialist in India is not just his wealth — it is what he does with it. He is widely known for gifting homes, jewellery and cars to his employees, and even takes their parents and in-laws on vacations every year.
Many employees initially left his company for better salaries at bigger firms. After this started happening frequently, he decided not just to pay good salaries but also to reward top performers with cars. His philosophy is simple: the more he gives, the more the company earns — because happy employees work better and help the company grow. He has always given full credit for the company's success to his workforce.
Ever since I set up my first diamond cutting and polishing unit in Surat in 1984, I've lived by the ideology of caring for those around me. The joy I derived from sharing meals with my colleagues, no matter how little I had, was always inexplicable.
— Savji DholakiaHe also mandates that every employee invest at least half an hour in physical fitness daily — yoga, physical training, cycling, running, volleyball or cricket. The annual Diamond Marathon in Mumbai is another of his signature initiatives. For Savji Kaka, a healthy employee is a productive one.
Water, Trees and a Social Business Philosophy
Beyond diamonds, Savji now devotes much of his time to philanthropy, social welfare and sustainable development. On World Water Day 2026, the Dholakia Foundation — the philanthropic arm of the HK Group — inaugurated the CIBJO Lake at Dudhala, bringing together global industry leaders and public representatives in a landmark commitment to water conservation.
Our work is neither all social nor all business. This is a social business. Your work will grow if you do good for society. Our work on water conservation or growing trees is not for today — down the line, people will need pure oxygen and all the efforts we put in now will bear fruit.
— Savji DholakiaWhat's Next for Surat's Diamond King?
As Hari Krishna Exports continues expanding its global jewellery and diamond footprint into new markets, Savji Kaka shows no signs of slowing down. New philanthropic projects under the Dholakia Foundation are planned through 2026, with continued focus on water conservation, rural education and employee welfare. Industry observers expect the HK Group to deepen its use of AI in diamond manufacturing — already a benchmark in the sector — and to grow the KISNA retail chain aggressively in Tier-2 Indian cities.
For a city built on sparkle, Surat could not ask for a shinier ambassador. A boy who arrived with ₹12.50 and left no receipt of his passage — except an empire that employs thousands, feeds families and lights up the world, one diamond at a time.
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