From German sports cars to real estate: The Diwali bonuses offered by Gujarati businessman Savji Dholakia
Here is a list of things Savji Dholakia, fondly referred to as Savji Kaka by his employees, has bestowed upon his extended family over the past few years.
Generosity breeds goodwill. Savji Dholakia, a diamond merchant from Gujarat, can testify to the benefits of being an indulgent employer. Hari Krishna Exports, the diamond conglomerate founded by Dholakia in 1992, has witnessed rapid growth in the two decades since its inception. It now exports polished diamonds to 79 countries. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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Dholakia was in the news recently for gifting three Mercedes-Benz GLS SUVs worth Rs 3 crore to his employees. Legend goes that he came to Gujarat in 1977 on a state transport bus from his village in Amreli with just Rs 12.5 on his person. His firm now employs over 5,000 people and has a turnover of Rs 6,000 crore. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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Surat is by no means near the North Pole, but Savji's legend transcends that of Santa Claus in the coastal city of Surat. Here are a few things Savji Dholakia, fondly referred to as Savji Kaka by his employees, has bestowed upon his extended family over the past few years. (Image: Hari Krishna Exports)
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Real estate | The Surat-based businessman gifted 400 flats and 1,260 cars to employees as Diwali bonus in 2016. As a token of gratitude to the high-performing individuals in the company, he rewarded as many as 1,716 people, spending around Rs 51 crore. (Image: Reuters)
Jewelry | In 2014, Dholakia gave away 525 pieces of diamond jewelry to employees on the occasion of Diwali. These were distributed to employees who met their annual sales targets. (Image: Reuters)
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Nissan Redi-Go | Dholakia is known to be a lover of automobiles, and has even expressed his desire to raise the lifestyle of his employees by gifting them automobiles. As many as 2,000 employees took home Nissan’s Redi-Go hatchback in 2016. (Image: Reuters)
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Fiat Punto | 2015 proved to be a landmark year for the diamond trade. Hari Krishna Exports fared very well in this period. The good tidings were shared during the festive season. Dholakia gifted 491 Fiat Punto cars to his staff in 2015, adding to the style quotient of cars plying in uptown Surat. (Image: Reuters)
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Mercedes Benz GLS 350d | After taking a hiatus from the bonus game, Savji Kaka, returned to the role of benefactor to his staff in 2018. Austerity was the catchphrase in the previous year, as the diamond trade was hit hard by demonetization and the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), prompting most merchants in Surat, including Dholakia to withhold bonuses. This year, he gifted Mercedes-Benz GLS SUVs worth Rs 1 crore each to three employees who had completed 25 years with the company. The long-serving staffers were given the keys to the luxury SUV in an event attended by Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Diwali has come early for employees of Hare Krishna Exports. This year, diamond polishers and artisans of the group will receive Renault Kwid cars. The on-road price of the car is Rs 4.4 lakh. Of the company’s 5,000 employees, 4,000 have already received their gifts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed out the keys to four employees including a physically challenged woman. (Image: Renault)
