Govind Dholakia

Govind Dholakia
Dholakiya in 2011
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
from Gujarat
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 April 2024
Preceded byMansukh Mandaviya
Personal details
BornDudhala, Gujarat, India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
SpouseChampaben Dholakiya
Children3
Parent(s)Laljibhai Dholakiya, Santokbaa Dholakiya
ResidenceSurat
OccupationBusinessman, politician
Nickname"Kaka"

Govindbhai Laljibhai Dholakia is an Indian businessman and politician who has served as a Member of Rajya Sabha from Gujarat since April 2024, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party.[1][2]

Early life

Dholakia was born into a Leuva Patidar Family at Dudhala, Lathi taluka, Amreli district, Gujarat, to a farming family. He was locally known as kaka (meaning "uncle").[3] Dholakia moved to Surat in 1964 to support his family.[4]

Career

Dholakia founded Shree Ramkrishna Exports Private Limited, a diamond export enterprise based in Surat.[5][6] In 2024, he was elected as the Rajya Sabha member representing Gujarat.[7]

Philanthropy

In 2021, he donated ₹11 crore (equivalent to ₹12 crore or US$1.5 million in 2023) to the construction of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.[8]

In 2022, Dholakia oversaw the transition of his hometown, Dudhala, to solar energy through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of his company.[9][10]

Awards

In 2017, Govind received the Leadership Award from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). [11]

In media

Books

  • Tiwari, Arun; Yagnik, Kamlesh (2022). Diamonds Are Forever, So Are Morals. Penguin Random House. ISBN 9789391149895.

References

  1. ^ Jaiswal, Arushi (15 February 2024). "Rajya Sabha elections: Surat diamond merchant Govind Dholakia richest among four BJP candidates". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Rajya Sabha Elections 2024: Full list of winners in polls to 56 Upper House seats". Financialexpress. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  3. ^ Chitnis, Purva (15 February 2024). "Diamond merchant who donated 'generously' to Ram temple — who is BJP's RS nominee Govindbhai Dholakia". ThePrint. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Who Is Govindbhai Dholakia? Know All About Surat-Based Diamond Merchant Nominated by BJP As Rajya Sabha Member - www.lokmattimes.com". Lokmat Times. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Shree Ramkrishna Exports Emerges As 2022 Hurun Most Respected Family Business Of The Year". Times of India. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  6. ^ Dholakia, Govind (6 May 2022). "How diamond tycoon Govind Dholakia made his first ever trade at the age of twenty-two". Scroll.in. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  7. ^ PTI (20 February 2024). "J.P. Nadda, three other BJP candidates elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed from Gujarat". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Diamond trader from Surat donates Rs 11 crore for Ram temple construction in Ayodhya". India Today. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Dudhala in Gujarat to become first village to be completely solarised by a foundation". Energy Economic Times. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Amreli's Dudhala to be India's first solar-powered village, a gift from businessman Govind Dholakia to his hometown". Divya Bhaskar. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  11. ^ "USGBC announces 2017 Leadership Awards". usgbc.org. Retrieved 26 October 2017.