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Shehzad Zaveri at the age of 17 got sucked into the whirlpool of dying family business, initiated by his mother who used to go door- to- door, selling mina bangles. He never knew, though, that 10 years later, he would be dealing in diamonds.


When Shehzad Zaveri at the age of 17 got sucked into the whirlpool of dying family business, initiated by his mother who used to go door to door-selling mina bangles, he never knew, though, that 10 years later he would roll in millions.


“After my father’s death at age 37,with three kids, my mother struggled to keep the stove burning, and bringing us up by barely managing to keep the family business alive,” said Shehzad Zaveri, who owns the chain of Minawala Jewellers.


Meet the man and you will feel his passion for creativity, burning endlessly which has made Shehzad Zaveri, one of the leading couturiers of the country. Why, even his stores at Heera Panna Arcade and Santacruz evoke the same feelings of passion. His creations are woven around the world. He wanted to study Genetic engineering, but destiny had something else in store for him. “My mom said to me not to get disheartened. Believe in yourself, be honest and true to yourself,”recalls Zaveri.


Shehzad said that it all began with his mother. “It was my mother, who, departing from our gold and mina jewellery, pushed me towards diamonds in which she had seen a bright future, 20 years before De Beers started work in India”, he said.


“With a princely sum of Rs 60,000 in 1980, I began my journey. I boarded bus no.104 from Pydhoni and this journey through the years has taken me from buildings in Napean Sea Road to the Sheikhs of Dubai and the castles in Monte Carlo, slowly edging my way with a helping hand from various friends, including my old friends Sabadini in Italy, who taught me the nuances of not just designing but also marketing, retailing and display,” said Shehzad.


In 1982, he started operating out of a small makeshift shop in Mumbai. Within three years, he opened the first show room at Heera Panna. Shehzad Zaveri is quick as he is creative. His “Flowers in Fire” designs capture the very essence of nature. The charisma of colours, the intricacy of patterns, the fragrance of temptation and of course, the passion of the designer himself.


An entrepreneur needs to have total devotion and focus on his profession. Even his imagination must focus on the profession to achieve success. Shehzad Zaveri’s imagination translates itself into jewellery. “I see everything as jewellery, and have been doing that from as long as I can remember. My designs are not advocating a particular style-its about finding a different way of expressing ideas and a different way of looking at life, in a way it praises the creator for his creation”, he said.


After establishing himself in India, Shehzad left the comfort in India and worked with Dubai’s famed Binhendi Jewellers and set up six shops for them within a period of three years from1995-1997. That experience opened up a whole new frontier for him which launched him into the orbit of international market.


In 1998, Shehzad opened his first store in Dubai. And the second in 2001.Shehzad’s forte lies in international designs, which reflects his sense of celebration. And with his ‘Andaz’ collection, he manages to convey just that! Shehzad also supplies to international stores like Sabrini. Shehzad believes that success does not depend on the resources. Many people do not enter the world of business giving excuses about the lack of resources. “It’s not the resources that matter. What makes the difference is vision and fire in the belly”, said Shehzad.


He opines that many in the Muslim community suffer from the mental block and pseudo-mentality. “The thinking that Muslims are the underprivileged is one of the greatest blocks on the path to success. Instead of worrying about the hurdles, youth must take the dive and learn to swim,” Shehzad said. Risk is inherent in business. Shehzad started designing 18 carat Gold jewellery in early late eighties when it was considered a taboo. But the risk was worth taking and it paid him dividends.


Shehzad believes that to be successful in life, one must be willing to accept change. “Even in our business, the change is 360 degree. Ten years ago, consumers were more concerned about the amount of gold that went into the making of an item, or the kind of stones that were used. They never understood the concept of jewels”, he said.


Shehzad’s bold decisions and vision has earned respect from his peers and competitors. The next target for Shehzad is to make Minawala an International brand. Currently he caters to the International markets through his Dubai showroom which occupies his major time. “I always trust in Allah who has helped me make Minawala an international brand,” says Shehzad.


(The writer can be reached at mhl@rediffmail.com)

Iqbal encouraged Muslims to engage with serious writings rather than waste time on outmoded political and cultural matters and sensational press releases.


The poet-philosopher Mohammed Iqbal believed that Indian Muslims, while unable to help Islamic countries politically, had a vital role to play in the ideological and intellectual fields. Central to this project, he felt, was the revival of Islamic science, which alone could restore the broken link between Islam and modern sciences, thereby helping Muslims to progress in the fields of science and technology. Engaging with the intellectual and scientific legacy of Europe didn’t mean the acceptance or imitation of any un-Islamic or alien learning; on the contrary, it was the re-adoption of those values which the Muslims had handed over to the Europeans in their own time of wakefulness; an inheritance which the latter had built on unlike the Muslims who lapsed into deep slumber. Iqbal believed that the texture of scholastic Islamic theology or ilm-e Kalam, which was rooted in Greek speculative sciences, had broken down and required reconstruction. Another important issue for Iqbal was the reconstruction of Islamic Law (fiqh). This, he argued, was only possible through ijtihad (juridical conclusion). But because of the traditional conservatism of the Muslim world, and particularly that of the Indian ulema, this had become a fraught and sensitive issue. Iqbal had already been dubbed a blasphemer (kafir) by some people for airing his views on the subject. However, he wanted to continue his investigation and research for a new methodology of ijtihad which was in accordance with the demands and requirements of the changed times. In his lectures, Iqbal argued for the study for theology in the light of modern scientific thought, so as to strengthen the faith of believers. Mullahs may term such Muslims “westernised” but Iqbal was clearly unimpressed by the conservative rhetoric. Furthermore, Iqbal desired to reconstruct Islamic law or Shariah according to the needs and requirements of modern times. Only religious obligations or ibaadat, he argued, were beyond the law of change since they constituted the rights of God. But mundane or worldly matters (muamalaat) relate to the rights of the people and are subject to change and modification. Indeed, it was necessary to modify these rights through a continuous process of ijtihad so as to meet the requirements of changing times. Iqbal encouraged Muslims to engage with serious writings rather than waste time on outmoded political and cultural matters and sensational press releases. Why is it not possible to propagate modern education among Indian Muslims in keeping with Iqbal’s teachings? Should the religious learning centres (dini madaaris) of the Muslims not merge with secular educational institutions, in the process doing away with the separate identities. If Iqbal’s ideas could be presented in a simple manner, the Muslim masses stand to benefit enormously.


(The writer is the son of poet-philosopher Iqbal, and is a supreme court judge in Pakistan)