Page 8 - Bullion World Volume 4 Issue 11 November 2024
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Bullion World | Volume 4 | Issue 11 | November 2024
Silver IconS of India
Ravindra Heraeus Pvt Ltd:
"Pioneers of India's Platinum and
Precious Metals Revolution"
The Early Days: Ravindra Choksi,
In the world of precious metals, few companies the Father of the Platinum Industry
have a legacy as rich and enduring as Ravindra
Heraeus Pvt Ltd. From its humble beginnings The foundation of Ravindra Heraeus Pvt Ltd can be
in the early 1950s to its current standing as a traced back to 1952, when Mr Ravindra Choksi—a
leader in the global precious metals industry, science undergraduate at the time—embarked on a
the company has been a pioneer in innovation, journey that would forever change the landscape of
quality, and sustainability. The story of Ravindra India’s precious metals industry. Tasked with sourcing
Heraeus is not just one of business success; it platinum wire for his university's chemistry lab, Choksi
is a journey of vision, family dedication, and the faced a significant challenge: platinum was virtually
relentless pursuit of technological advancement. unknown in India, and even his professor struggled
As the company continues to expand its to obtain the material. Undeterred, Choksi took it
operations and influence, it remains rooted in upon himself to source and create the platinum wire,
the values established by its founder, which was used in flame tests to determine metal
Mr. Ravindra Choksi, the father of the properties.
platinum industry in India.
This seemingly small task marked the beginning of
a monumental career. In 1952, Mr Ravindra Choksi
became the first person in India to process platinum
on an industrial scale. His pioneering efforts earned
him widespread recognition, and he soon became
known as the father of the platinum industry in India.
Over the following decades, Choksi expanded his
expertise and established a strong reputation both
in India and internationally. His work was not limited
to the commercial sphere; he also contributed to
the development of national standards for precious
metals, serving as the chairman of the subcommittee
for precious metals under Indian Standards in the
1970s.
In the early days of his career, India faced a
significant technological gap in terms of industrial
applications of precious metals. The country was
heavily dependent on the Soviet Union for advanced
technology related to precious metals. At that time,
importing such technologies was both expensive and
complicated, due to India's limited foreign exchange
reserves. Recognizing this challenge, Mr Choksi
saw an opportunity to help India bridge the gap by
developing local solutions and reducing the nation's
dependence on external suppliers. His efforts not
only spurred technological innovation in India but also
laid the foundation for a more self-reliant and robust
industry.
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