Friends, the auspicious days of Diwali are here again. Diwali has its own unique significance in the Indian Culture. With Diwali comes the brightness of happiness and we get a new opportunity to view life from a new point of view.

We celebrate Diwali with illuminating lamps, rangoli and fire crackers, but don’t you think that we need to think anew about the celebrations of Diwali? That we celebrate Diwali with beautiful lamps, designs of colors and sweets is understandable but we have sadly made this festival, a festival of pollution due to excessive bursting of crackers.

Out of sheer competition with neighbors or at the insistence of family members, we spend limitlessly after crackers only to see the hard earned money turning to smoke in a matter of minutes! Recently, guardians of three new born babies, filed complaints against pollution because of fire crackers, which has an adverse effect on the health of people.

We also need to think about the

darkness that these crackers bring in the lives of innocent child laborers.

As all of you must be well aware that the fireworks industries hire many child laborers on a very large scale. Instead of buying a cracker pencil made by tender hands of a child laborer, we should place a real pencil in the hands of needy kids, so that their life get illuminated in the real sense.

Dipawali word itself means an attractive series of lamps giving peace

to our hearts and joy to our eyes. We can always fire a few crackers for the happiness of young family members but we must not spoil innocent childhood of any child and the atmosphere of the earth by firing crackers excessively.

This Diwali, let’s focus on this thought and I heartily

wish that we may spread a lot of happiness as well as brightness in the lives of us all!

-Govindbhai Patel Partner, Samarth Diamond

Moving from pollution to light!

Let's remember...

For spreading happinessIssue - 4 November - 2015Year - 1

Samarth SetuChild Labour is used at large scale in the fire crackers industry

Excessive fire crackers lead to severe pollution in the environment

It affects people's health

It increases neck and lungs related diseases

Fire crackers create problems for elders, pregnant women and animals

They increase noise pollution

Excessive fire crackers increase waste in the town or city

Fire crackers have inherent risk of burn injuries and large fire

02

At Samarth, we have a tradition of meet and converse with the employees and their family at their village. Recently the Samarth partner and the HR Coach reached the village Umari….

The partner of Samarth Diamond Shri Govindbhai Patel and the HR Coach Shri Vikrambhai Mahida visited the village Umari on account of ‘Samvad’ on 15th July, 2015. Before we go into details about this, let’s know what ‘Samvad’ is. ‘Samvad’ means talk which all of us at Samarth know as SA= Samarth, M= Management, V= Visit, A=At, D=Doorsteps.

Samvad means the members of the management visit the residences of the employees and have an open-hearted talk. Such a unique tradition was started by the partner of the company Shri Dineshbhai Patel. He thought that 1) Do our employees enjoy their work at Samarth? 2) Has their working at Samarth brought about any change in

their standard of living? 3) What do they think about the education of their children? 4) How can Samarth help and guide them? According to Dineshbhai, the purpose of spreading happiness can be fulfilled only if we know about the above-mentioned details.

With this background, we started for village Umari, at 5 pm, in the staff bus with other employees. On reaching Umari, we were warmly welcomed by Shri Rameshbhai and Shri Bhikhabhai. We also met Shri Mukeshbhai, Shri Kanubhai and Shri Champaksinh and had the blessings of the elders there. Then we went to the home where our stay was arranged.

All the family members welcomed us with love and warmth. After dinner, the

family members of Shri Bhikhabhai, some other friends including many people from the nearby villages got together. The meeting was started with a nice devotional song. Discussions on various topics followed it. We also discussed about the measures that can be taken to make the village beautiful and green.

Some friends requested Govindbhai to visit their villages. To this, Govindbhai lightheartedly put a condition that, “I would definitely visit your village if you…

Plant trees at public • places.Organise a Blood Donation • Camp.Eradicate the deep-rooted • ill customs from the society.Remove superstitions.•

A unique 'Samvad' at the village Umari

03

Samarth Diamond participated in the ‘India International Jewellery Show’ (IIJS) held at Mumbai from 6th August to 8th August, 2015. This is India’s biggest show of Gems and Jewellery Industry. Producers, Wholesale Traders, Owners of Retail Show rooms, Producers of Tools and Machineries and experts from the fields of Trade Publications, Education, and Services etc.

participated in this show. We participated in this show for the first time. Our associate Crafts Diamond too had participated. From Samarth, Shri Dashrathbhai Patel, Shri Vashisthabhai Patel, Shri Dineshbhai Patel, Shri Piyushbhai Patel, Shri Harshadbhai Prajapati, Shri Harshadbhai Patel, Shri Himanshubhai Patel and Shri Prashantbhai Patel participated in the show.

Samarth Diamond has created its own recognition in the field of diamond processing and now we are venturing into diamond jewellery making too. An exhibition of these ornaments, crafted with skill and meticulous care was held

at Visnagar on 19th and 20th September, 2015. These ornaments created by Samarth have received a very encouraging and enthusiastic response both during exhibition and even after its successful completion.

Family picnics are often arranged with a view to arousing a family feeling among the employees of Samarth and their families. Such picnics provide them with opportunities of knowing one another closely. On 15th August, 2015, a picnic was arrange for the employees and families of Unit – 3 Russian and Bottle Section.

93 people in all had participated in the picnic. All of them started for Ambaji at 7:30 am. Enjoying beautiful surroundings on their way, they had their first halt at Satlasana and reached Ambaji at about 10 am. Then they visited the Lokniketan Primary School at Sembalpani, met the students there and enjoyed the food they had brought from their home. On the return journey to Visnagar, they visited the Mahadevji temple at Balaram and Umiyadham at Unjha. All enjoyed this picnic heartily.

Samarth At The Prestigious IIJS-2015

Samarth forays into diamond jewellery

A picnic creating family bondingStart an initiative to make • the village addiction free. Emphasise more on the • activities pertaining to the mental and physical growth of children.Clean the water troughs • for animals and the roads of the village. Arrange programmes • that maintain and sustain cultural atmosphere in the village.

This sincere thought was unanimously accepted and an assurance was given to follow it in the best possible manner. In the end, Govindbhai sang his favourite devotional song, “Vijalina chamkare… motidan parovo”. We had our night halt at the village itself and returned the next day to Visnagar with memories of Umari.

04

Samarth has always been very keen to spread happiness everywhere through the activities which are in the best interest of each of the employees.

A scheme was announced with a slogan ‘Cycle Riding – A Smart Choice’ on 17th January, 2015 by the company so that the employees of the company remain happy and healthy. According to the scheme, if any employee commutes on bicycle and registers for a new cycle for the same, the company would give him an aid of Rs. 1000/-.

Moreover, the remaining amount was given as a loan from the salary in four installments. The scheme received a warm response and as many as 451 employees took benefit of it in a very short period. The registration in the scheme is still going on in full swing.

In this way, the initiative of joining the noble task of “Ride bicycle... Stay healthy… Save fuel… Save country” is turning out to be very successful.

Let’s know about some inspirational experiences of this initiative.

Vigour of youth at an elder ageShri Maganbhai Khemabhai Prajapati who

has been working as the Office Assistant in the Heraferi Section of Samarth Diamond for last eight years, is a native of the village Galodiya. When the company started the

Cycle Scheme, he had made up his mind that if he got a bicycle under

this scheme, he would visit his village Galodiya on bicycle. Shri Maganbhai got the bicycle and travelled a distance of 200 kms at

the age of 58 and made the slogan ‘On road to happiness for all, on

bicycle’ successful in the real sense.Showing his gratitude to the Samarth

Management he said, “I have learnt a lot from the management. Nothing can be gained without hard work. Our chief purpose lies in the happiness of all and I work for my family, their happiness. Happy family… Samarth Family!”

Journey of the youth on bicycle The youngsters of Samarth traveled the

distance of 40 kms from Visnagar to Aithor on their bicycles which they availed from the company. These youngsters who commute regularly on their bicycles thought that if they visited the nearby religious places on their bicycles sometimes on holidays, it would improve their health and provide them with an opportunity to develop bonding with one another. With this noble purpose, eight youngsters of the RMS Department started at 5:30 am from Visnagar and reached Aithor at 7:15 am to have the blessings of the Lord Ganesha on the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi. They returned to Visnagar with fun and frolic at 9:15 am.

In this way, we too should follow the footprints of these youngsters by making optimum use of bicycles to save fuel and thereby protect the environment of the country.

Peddling to happiness for all

05

Think Everest!Shri Vipul Patel from our Mumbai Office, shares here his thoughts about a book by Shri Atul Karwal and Smt. Anita Karwal, about conquering the Mount Everest.

Books ReviewDuring our training,

our management trainer Shri Sureshbhai Patel advised us to read this book. I was not used to sparing time for reading books but the more I read, the more interested I became.

The name of the book is “Think Everest” The writers of the book are Shri Atul Karwal and Smt. Anita Karwal.

The book throws ample light on how an ordinary man can climb the Mount Everest out of sheer will power. I have not completed the book but I am sharing here from whatever I have read and known from the book.

The most important point is, “Everything that is devoid of the potential to kill me actually empowers me.” (German Philosopher Nietzsche6) The writer himself keeps expressing his dream desire to climb Mount Everest to his family and friends and coincidentally his friend receives invitation from the government to conquer the Mt. Everest. Since his friend is unable to accept the invitation, he suggests to his friend Atulbhai to take it as an opportunity to live his dream. The moment both Shri Atulbhai and Smt. Anitaben (‘Ana’ by which the writer addresses her) come to know about this, they become wonder struck. Atulbhai got full support from

his wife and he wrote a letter to his senior for the approval for the same.

Atulbhai is a Senior Officer of the IPS. He was concerned as to who would take care of his family when he would be away on his adventurous mission and whether his wife and daughters would be able to manage things without him. Ana, sensing the concern apparent on her husband’s face only told him to shake off all the worries about them. She further boosted his confidence by saying that all of them would eagerly await his conquest of the Mt. Everest and his return as well.

After this, good news started pouring in from all corners and the preparations started in full swing. Anaben didn’t allow the mobile phone to accompany her husband and assured him that they would contact him if and when needed. They also told him that they would keep themselves informed about all the developments pertaining to his mission.

Atulbhai has been taking exercise since his childhood days and has been a coach of Physical Fitness. Before I read this book, I was irregular in exercise but now I have started it exercise regularly and it has boosted my confidence a lot.

This book taught me one thing - you have to prepare

yourself before you undertake any task. If you are fully prepared, success would come searching for you for sure.

Failure can never scare those who are strong willed and positive. Well, Obstacles are invariably there but your conviction would help you achieve your desired result.

From Anaben’s behavior and the kind of support that she gave to her husband, my wife and I got an important counsel that if both of us try to understand each other and live life with a frank approach, every summit however insurmountable it seems, can be conquered. In their book, both Atulbhai and Anaben have described their journey in such an unforgettable manner that it helps me at every step in my life!

06

Samarth has been regularly arranging programmes pertaining to mental, social and health related development of its employees. One such programme about eradicating superstition was held on 16th September, 2015 between 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

All of us know that the mankind has scaled great heights because of development of Science and Technology yet many people around us are found being duped by exorcists and losing their hard earned money.

This interesting programme was arranged by ‘Banaskantha Superstition Eradication Committee’ with a view to exposing such exorcists and removing superstitions. The programme was attended by about 250 people from Samarth and some others also.

The committee members provided very interesting and scientific information about deep rooted suspicions, superstitions and tricks of the exorcists.

Various experiments and demonstrations as to how these exorcists use their dexterity and cheat people; for example to penetrate a trident through one’s tongue, to bend a spoon, to extract a silken garment from a coconut. All these tricks were properly explained by the experts.

Some members of the audience were even invited on the stage and try pulling out puris from the hot, boiling oil filled vessel. They were educated about how such tricks are performed by the wrong-doers.

At the end of the programme, questions related to ghost, religious oath, thread etc were resolved and an effort was made to get people out of these superstitions.

If such programmes are arranged as a part of social gatherings, group marriages or prize distribution functions, more people can be enlightened and success can be attained in removing the ghost of superstitions and society would progress.

If you want to arrange such a programme, you may contact Pro. Mahendrabhai Patel.

(Mobile: 94263 22623).

Superstition Eradication ProgrammeSamarth has been consistently putting in efforts for the overall development of the employees. It held an interesting programme for spreading scientific information among people .

of Navaratri, Shri Govindbhai Patel telephoned me and informed that I had been selected! My joys knew no bounds.

Friends, what is noteworthy here is that the owner of the company showed faith in me despite my

being physically handicapped. I was the first female employee of Samarth. Since I joined Samarth, they have made sure that I was always comfortable in my job. Shri Govindbhai and Shri Dashrathbhai have been very patient with me and guided me in every matter.

To people, I was a worker in a diamond factory. Very little did they know that the place where

"I am proud that I am a part of Samarth"Ms. Pravinaben Patel, the first women employee of Samarth, and someone who has attained a position in Samarth due to her sincerity and conviction shares her experiences with us.

07

Friends, today we are going to make a special mention of someone who, despite being physically handicapped, has been rendering her services with competence in the Accounts Department due to her sheer loyalty and conviction.

Ms. Pravinaben Amrutbhai Patel was born 39 years ago. She was the first child of her parents. At the age of just two, both her legs got paralyzed. However, she didn’t lose courage and passed her B.Com as well as M.Com.

Let’s know her views about Samarth in her own words….

I was a little puzzled about how I should go further after my studies. Then I read about an advertisement for an accountant in the Prachar weekly. I thought, "My being physically handicapped might be a constraint in my selection, but it will give me experience." I was interviewed by Shri Dashrathbhai Patel. After the interview I didn’t receive any news from Samarth for six months. Deep down my heart, I had accepted that I would not get the job. Then on the first day

I have never felt that I am handicapped. The entire Samarth Family is my hands and feet and it has always been very cooperative in every manner.

Our seniors have always been helpful to others and the employees of Samarth as well follow their footprints. I haven’t had any problem, whatsoever in Samarth so far.

After work when I return home, I never feel tired or bored at all.

So friends, I humbly request all of you that we should join our seniors in their efforts to make 20,000 families happy in their cherished Vision-2020 and keep spreading happiness.

Jai Hind!!

I worked was not a factory but a (Human) temple.

Today I am really proud that I am a member of Samarth. It has been thirteen years in Samarth now. I have been fortunate to undergo various training programmes conducted in Samarth and the credit of the same goes to the management and warm cooperation of you all.

Two years ago, I had developed a health problem and I had to take a break from my work. It is still distinctly clear in my memory that Smt. Renukaben, Shri Dineshbhai’s wife had accompanied me to the hospital at Rangpur and given me courage to face the situation.

In those days, all the three partners of Samarth had kept on inspiring and encouraging me. With their support, I had successfully overcome that phase of illness and today I am active in Samarth once again!

The entire Samarth family is my hands and feet!

Pravinaben Amrutbhai Patel

"The training proved to be useful at the right time...!"

08

"It was raining. I was on my duty to drop the Samarth employees to their residences between 6 pm to 7 pm. On the way from Kothasana Patiya to Samarapur, I saw two men on a motorbike slipping on a slippery road.

I immediately stopped the bus. I rushed to the spot and found both of them bleeding profusely and unconscious. The emergency ambulance No: 108 was summoned. Other employees of Samarth also helped me. All the guidance that I had received during the training became fresh and I gave the first aid to both of them acting as per the instructions that I had received during the training.

Both of them regained consciousness after a while. We stayed with them until the emergency ambulance No: 108 reached the spot.

In this way, the training proved to be very useful to give the first aid to the two injured men. All the employees who have sincerely imbibed the values of Samarth also helped in

saving the lives of them. I am really happy and

proud that we were given such an opportunity to participate in such a training programme and the training really turned out to be useful and helpful to others.

When I informed about this story to HR Coach Shri Vikrambhai Mahida, he told that the partner of Samarth Diamond Shri Govindbhai Patel had suggested that all the drivers of the Samarth Staff buses should be included in such training.

The above matter clearly suggests that the management of the company is really farsighted for each of the employee.

As a part of the efforts to keep Samarth Family happy, the management also arranges seminars to provide technical training and guidance for self -development.

Similarly, first aid training was given to a batch of 30 people of Samarth by Dr. Hetalbhai Shah, a member of Saint Johns Ambulance Centre, Ahmedabad. During this training, very useful information about how to react at the

time of various types accidents was shared. How to treat a patient of heart attack in the nick of time was also well explained.

A participant of this training, Shri Rohitbhai K. Patel, the driver of Samarth Bus no: 6 found this training to be very useful when he had to help a few injured people a few days ago.

Let’s know his experience in his own words:

Shri Rohitbhai K. Patel

An aalekhan.com Creation

Samarth DiamondRushikesh Market, Near Rotary Bhavan, Visnagar - 384315

Phone: (02765) 222611/220974

Email: samarthsetu@samarthdiamond.com, Web: www.samarthdiamond.com

For Free & Limited Circulation only

(For any contribution/ suggestion regarding 'Samarth Setu', please contact Shri Alpeshbhai Prajapati, (Extn. No. 723)