CIBJO’s Centenary year celebrated with inauguration
of lake supporting drought-stricken region in India
CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri (second from right) and Amanda Cavalieri (third from right), together with Padma Shri Savjibhai Dholakia (right), Founder, Hari Krishna Exports, at the inauguration of Lake CIBJO on International Water Day, March 22, 2026. They are joined by Shri Tulsibhai Dholakia (left), Co-Founder, Hari Krishna Exports; Shri Himmatbhai Dholakia (second from left), Co-Founder, Hari Krishna Exports, and Francesca Manfredi (third from left), Head of Sustainable Innovation – Watches & Jewellery of the Kering Group.
MARCH 24, 2026
CIBJO Lake, a fresh-water reservoir near the village of Luvariya in the Indian state of Gujarat, was formally inaugurated on World Water Day, March 22, 2026, and named for the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO),which this year is celebrating 100 years since its founding.
The lake was developed by the Dholakia Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Hari Krishna Group, one of the world’s largest diamond manufacturing companies. It was created as part of the foundation’s Gagadiya river rejuvenation initiative, which is strengthening water security in Gujarat’s drought-prone Saurashtra region. Covering an area of 15 acres, the lake has a storage capacity of 156 million litres, and will support five villages in the area, benefiting around 12,000 farmers, by enabling multi-cropping and increasing groundwater levels.
CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri joined Dr. Savjibhai Dholakia, the founder of Hari Krishna Exports who has dedicated much of his life to transforming the lives of India’s most vulnerable communities, for the official inauguration of Lake CIBJO. Also attending were Shri Kaushikbhai Kantibhai Vekariya, Minister of State of the Government of Gujarat; Shri Bharatbhai Sutariya, Member of the Indian Parliament; and Shri Janakbhai Talaviya, Shri J.V. Kakadiya, and Shri Hirabhai Solanki all members of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, as well as members of the diplomatic corps and other industry represenatives.
“I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to CIBJO during its Centenary Year that it be associated with a development project that illustrates how the jewellery industry is able to able to improve lives of peoples and societies,” said CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri.
“Martin Luther King Jr. famously once said, ‘I have a dream,’ and in the same way, Shri Savjibhai Dholakia had a dream, which today is being turned into reality,” said Dr. Cavalieri, addressing the gathering. “What was once barren land has been transformed into a thriving ecosystem of water, greenery, wildlife, and community life.”
Also speaking during the inauguration, Dr. Dholakia emphasised the importance of giving back to nature and building long-term environmental initiatives for future generations. He said that that lake development and water conservation initiatives undertaken through collaborative efforts between villagers and the Dholakia Foundation have supported farmers, who earlier were only able to manage single crop cycle, to now manage three cropping cycles annually.
Water scarcity is one of India’s most pressing challenges, particularly in rural areas where agriculture is the primary source of livelihood. Some 600 million people in country already face extreme water stress, and, as climate change accelerates, reliable access to water is becoming even more critical to sustaining agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.
“What the Dholakia Foundation has achieved here is truly remarkable,” Dr. Cavalieri added. “Its work stands as proof that industry can lead with conscience, and that business growth and responsibility can coexist. I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to CIBJO during its Centenary Year that it be associated with a development project that illustrates how the jewellery industry is able to able to improve lives of peoples and societies.”