The eldest of seven brothers and one sister, he was born to Smt Shyama Devi and Shri Gokuldas Kotahwala in 1939 – two days after Diwali, the day when India celebrates Bhai Dooj. It was a brightly lit heritage city, Jaipur. Though his family was always in the jewelry business, no one knew one among them would pioneer the industry internationally… one of the first ever Indians to open Indian-owned gemstone and diamond offices in the US.
It was a large joint family, where his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins all lived together – he remembers money being tough yet they were immersed in love. His grandfather was into manufacturing synthetic stones, while his father started the emerald stone business with some partners. After completing his schooling from Agrawal High School, he joined Maharaja College to study math, biology and physics along with geology and zoology for graduation. “I got to make an educational trip to South India – this was the first time I was anywhere away from home without family. The newfound independence bit me and so did traveling.”
From Liking to Passion to Profession
Grasping bits about business while still a student, he confidently settled in Mumbai as an expansion of their family business. He was working hard and enjoying exploring the new city with his small family – his wife, Sharda, and a toddler son, Alok.
What seemed fun till now suddenly became an opportunity for growth. In 1964, he got an opportunity to attend the World Fair held in New York. “It didn’t stop there; next happened Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong. The whole trip lasted about three months.” New York had his heart and he decided to take his business there. Though his father was skeptical initially but later encouraged the plan.
But what’s Haridas if not successful! He persuaded him and finally set up an office in a rented studio apartment in 1968. About a year later, Sharda joined him in Paris in 1969 but not before a few anxious days for the visa. As they waited for the visa, they explored Europe for two months. “That was an amazing phase of my life.”
In 1974, Haridas opened an office in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. In 2006, he started a trade show in Basel, Switzerland. “I connected with a lot of companies there and work then took me to Brazil, the center for raw material – things changed for me there on, my perspective too.” Growing steadfast, he expanded to other parts of the US. He also traveled to South Africa, Zimbabwe, etc, in Africa, liked it well enough to open his branches.
Sharda too utilized her time and skills and started to learn the trade. Those were the days when Indians were rare in New York and so, the Kotahwala couple had their share of culture shock and adjustment issues – though not for long. They left their doors open for any Indians coming to the city for lunch and dinner. Sharda always made a lovely host!
New Beginnings
In 1984, he along with some colleagues formed the Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association (IDCA) in New York, became its first Vice President and later served as the President for five terms. The association was instrumental in creating goodwill in the industry. What started with 40 members has now 225 members.
In 2005, he met Naveen Shah, an accomplished CA and CPA, and joined him as a part of the Navika Capital Group LLC, a commercial real-estate organization investing capital into hotels, office buildings, shopping centers and housing. As its Chairman, he has guided the organization to acquire 130 properties, sold around 50 while another 78 are still in the portfolio.
Haridas is a guiding light to his sons, Alok and Vishal. The brother-duo manages a diversified jewelry, diamond and colored-stone operation, Royal India USA Inc. They have started operations in three countries, selling their products to over 40 countries.
Haridas has received many accolades throughout his career. In 2001, the Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) honored him for his social achievements. In 2004, the World Business Forum honored him with proclamations from the New York State Assembly and US Congress for his dedication to his community. In 2008, he received the Pioneer Award and in 2022, the Lifetime Achievement Award Excellence in Community from the IDCA.
Crediting his success to Sharda, he says, “All that I am is a lot because of her. Her patience and compassion have supported and inspired me – I have often taken an example of her patience to my aide at work”.
The couple feels blessed to have a lovely family. Their daughter, Rachna, is a psychiatrist and an entrepreneur. Her husband, Rahul Kejriwal, leads the paper industry with his conglomerate based out of Mumbai. Their son, Aryan, currently works in Chicago.
Alok is married to Indra and has four kids: Pramiti, who is married to Akshay Goenka; Sanjali, who is married to Yashvardhan Lohiya; and twin boys, Udarsh and Pranav, who have completed their graduation.
Vishal is married to Ruchi, a gemologist and a designer and they have two sons, Vihaan (16) and Vedant (12).
Haridas has always been disciplined and dedicated to his work – traits that he credits to his experience with the RSS, a unique social organization dedicated to India’s resurgence and global peace. “A friend, Ramdas, would wake me up early every morning, and we’d together visit the branch. RSS was very keen on timings, discipline and integrity.”
So far-reaching and effective have his achievements been that even the New York Times took notice of. One of its articles in 1998 quotes, “Kotahwala… arrived in 1968 and rented a $200/month studio apartment in the diamond district, where he lived and worked. To break into a trade dominated by established experts, he went door to door… a confident, gossipy salesman slowly building a clientele.”
All this and a lot more, yet not to forget that Haridas too was as simple a child as anyone else. He remembers, “Four of us friends would bunk school and go watch movies every Friday. I was a fan of Bollywood heartthrob, Dilip Kumar, and absolutely loved Naya Daur”.
Toward an Impassioned Society
The growth has also doubled his passion and dedication to serve his community. A social worker since childhood, he says, “My father was always firm on being useful to society. Watching him, I once helped build a swimming pool in our locality. Back then, my contribution was to move sacks of cement from one place to another at the site (chuckles)”.
As a first-generation immigrant from the community, he has always viewed it as his responsibility to act as a leader. He is actively involved with RANA. It has organized three successful International Rajasthani Conventions in New York in 2003, 2006 and 2010; raised funds for RANA’s charity projects for rainwater harvesting, women’s education, mid-day meals for children and many others. “It is a social body that brings together the Rajasthanis in North America. We are trying to set up a Rajasthan cultural center in Long Island.”
Talking about what he perceives as his weakness, he says, “I cannot say no, especially to the needy. Someone asks for financial help and I relent.”
As a celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary, they donated scores of bicycles and comforters to prosthetic limbs making the non-profit organizations, Jaipur Foot and Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti in Jaipur.
However, he believes in doing it all in silence. A huge donor for the Akshaya Patra, Eye Bank Society of Rajasthan, Narayan Seva Sansthan Udaipur, Ekal Vidyalaya, etc, he brushes off the talk lightly saying, “I just help”.
Colors of Past
Haridas, who was a kid when India got independence, says some memories from back then live still, especially the riots following the partition. “My father was moving from Jaipur to Calcutta when suddenly the riots broke out. He was badly injured.” However, he marvels at the speed of the changes that have swept across the country.
One thing that stands out, he recalls, is, “Passion and a positive outlook lead to success. Even as I went around various places for my business, I also managed to mix it along with pleasure and wherever possible have taken my family with me”.
He is proud of his bright children and seven grandchildren, his family and his extended family of the diamond and colored-stone community and the Rajasthan community.