Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RD/CN)
 
Udupi, Jul 22: “The jewellery industry never melts down. Wars have no effect on it; the global recession has had no impact, nothing whatso ever does. It is always bullish,” said K Shivaram, vice-president, World Gold Council, at the induction ceremony of the new batch of BBA students of Manipal Institute of Jewellery Management (MIJM) at the TMA Pai Planetarium building on Tuesday July 21.
 
Shivaram lauding Manipal University for starting the three-year degree course, which includes designs and management, said that it was a unique course found nowhere else in the country and predicted a great future for the graduates of the institute.
 
Giving statistics to make his point, he said that there were about 6 lac artisans in the industry and 800 tonnes of gold was being consumed annually in the country. “There is an annual growth of 5 to 6 per cent”, he added.
 
“Retail jewellery has a big market and the companies pick up raw hands and train them. But these students need no further training, so are best suited for the industry,” said Shivaram.
 
Pro-chancellor Dr H S Ballal, welcoming the students to the University’s fold, assured them that all the students of the university were treated alike. “There is no discrimination. Every student has access to all the facilities of the university. It is the same for all,” he said. 

He assured the parents that their wards were in the best university and would be taken care of.
 
Dr Pushpa Kini, director student affairs gave some dos and don’ts to the students. MIJM director Colonel M M Shanbagh was the guest of honour, and Kannur Kunhikannan Jewellery Gold House managing director C V Ravnidranath also spoke on the occasion.