Indian Jeweller (IJ) Magazine August -September 2019

of the princely state of Mayurbhanj. The
business enterprise was established in the
year 1936 in Baripada by Khimji Dayabhai.
In 1982, Kishore Khimji came from Mumbai
after completion of CA and opened the first
jewellery showroom in Bhubaneswar. The
Khimji jewellery business today comprises of
‘Khimji Jewellers since 1936’.
A New Beginning
Mitesh Khimji likes to call himself an
accidental jeweller. When the group split,
he was based in Bhubaneswar where he had
completed his graduation followed by MBA.
His interest lay elsewhere and he was making
good money in mining transport. Dinesh
Khimji, his father had joined hands with his
younger brother Kishore Khimji. Mitesh’s
brother Sumeet Khimji is actively involved
in the business. While Mitesh drives the
Marketing, Finance, HR and admin functions,
Sumeet handles merchandise, store operations
and other activities.
Not content in being just a jeweller, the
Khimji group has diversified into other sectors
as well.
The Khimji group today has become a
brand that is synonymous with trust, quality
and honesty which is not only limited to
jewellery, but also in automobiles, real estate
and many more to come. Presently Khimji has
3 Khimji Honda Showrooms, 3 Royal Enfield
Showrooms and 1 Kawasaki Showrooms
across Odisha and a new Kawasaki Showroom
in Ahmedabad also.
Mitesh took the decision of shifting his
profitably running store to a new and emerging
locality. Janpath was a locality that had no retail
activity at that time. Mitesh realised that as the
city of Bhubaneswar grew, there would be a
clutter in the traditional market places. A new
store in an upcoming locality would give him
an early mover advantage.
Conventional wisdom suggested that he
continue to operate both the stores so that
once the new store is established the old
one can be closed down. Mitesh vehemently
argued his point within the family and opined
that as long as the old store is in operation,
people will not visit the new store. A massive
new teaser campaign was launched promoting
the new address.
This was followed by an SMS campaign that
gave away thirty diamond pendants every day
for thirty days to the winner. All that a customer
needed to do was to answer a multiple choice
question guessing what was coming up at 621
Janpath in Bhubaneswar. The aura, the mystery
and the diamond pendants made sure that the
consumers flocked to the store.
The Khimji group
today has become a
brand that is
synonymous with
trust, quality and
honesty which is
not only limited to
jewellery, but also
in automobiles, real
estate and many
more to come
INDIAN JEWELLER | august-september 2019 | 77