Ramesh Maharjan

Chairman

R B Diamond Jewellers

Born in a farmers family, Ramesh Maharjan is known as a successful entrepreneur who has taken his business to international levels. His jewellery business has expanded to USA. Today, he is Chairman of Maharjan Group that owns five companies - Nepal Diamond Company, RB Diamond Jewellers, Nenergy International, NB Nepal Builders and Maya Foundation. These companies are active in manufacturing, export and retail business of diamond jewelleries, energy, construction and even social welfare.

He has three jewellery stores in USA. He has recently diversified his business through the Maharjan Group that he established some years ago. R B Diamond Jewellers is the manufacturer, wholesaler and exporter of diamond jewelleries while Nepal Diamond Company deals in diamond and gold. Nenergy International is working in the area of developing hydroelectricity. Similarly, his company NB Nepal Builders is into the housing sector while through Maya Foundation he is involved in welfare of differently-abled people. Likewise, Maharjan is also Chairman of Nepal Gems and Jewellery Association and is associated with various organisations and associations.

Maharjan's childhood was largely spent in the agricultural milieu. His parents were farmers in Lalitpur but they had a sense that their children must go to school and get education. He passed his School Leaving Certificate from Namuna Machhindra School at Lagankhel. He passed Intermediate from Patan Campus. However, he did not take his education further.

Maharjan and his family did not see their farm leading them anywhere. “I did not see any future there,he says. Since my childhood I thought of doing things differently and in the best possible way.Maharjan says business was sitting deeply in his mind. He was concentrating on agriculture thinking he will land a good job some day. Apart from his works in the field, he was active in the local clubs, libraries, and in the locality and even won a local election. At times, he thought of going for foreign employment as well.

His young romantic days were going on. Then, his family insisted him to get married. Though young Maharjan was determined to make his dreams come true before tying the nuptial knot, he surrendered to his family and married Sarita Maharjan with whom he was in love. Sarita turned out to be his lady luck. At that time, he was just 18. Sarita's family was in Hong Kong. Maharjan's in-laws invited him to Hong Kong as they thought there is not much scope in the country. Then, he took a job in Hong Kong at a wholesale company of diamonds as a helper.

He proved his honesty and won the confidence of the bosses. So, he was gradually given more tasks of messenger and even handling banking transactions. They even tested my greed and left thousands of dollars in open drawers when I was the only person in the office. Next morning, they used to cross-check. I never thought of betraying them but was dedicated to perform well to get more salary in a legitimate way, he narrates how he passed the tests.

Working for the whole day had a benefit that he never felt homesick. He claims he worked from 5 am to midnight so that he can sleep quietly at night and does not have to miss his family back home. He was always conscious and determined that one day he has to return to Nepal. While in Hong Kong, he developed the interest in diamonds and also thought of taking something back. Then, he requested his employer to get him some training so that he can learn about diamonds. He says, My boss was a friendly person and he used to help us with everything as he understood we the foreigners will return if we were not given proper facilities. He was also happy to see my eagerness developing for diamonds and arranged for a basic training from the very next day. After completing his works in the office, he would go for training from 9 pm to 11 pm.

 

Maharjan shares, I acquired basic knowledge on types, grading and assorting diamonds. Then, I requested my employers for further trainings. Later, he was sent to Mumbai for a six-month training at the company's factory for cutting, grading and polishing. I was there just to gain knowledge on diamonds. So, I did not even cross the railway station and kept myself fully focussed on my training. In the beginning, I felt quite uncomfortable as I did not even know how to hold a diamond properly. Gradually, I learned everything, he recalls.

There too he spent the whole day pondering over the diamonds. He claims he grabbed things quickly and could separate colours within two weeks. As he learnt things he also started working there though he was not being paid. At the end of six months training, he was found to be performing well like veterans of the industry, he claims. When he returned to Hong Kong, the company's views about him changed. He was promoted to sales department. However, he did not stop learning while on the job. He says, For a couple of years more, I learnt from the market on pricing and quality and even on the ways of marketing.

After staying for around seven years in Hong Kong, he decided to return to the country as the family also asked him to do so. When he returned, he was not alone. He had knowledge, skills and even money to invest in the business of his own. For three months, he carried out a kind of market survey, leaving no jewellery shops unvisited. In three months, he found expertise missing from the sector in his country. The way of working was not appropriate either. Then, I felt in markets like Nepal, such valuable things can only be sold with a guarantee and not as use-and-throw item, he says.

He sees a lot of artisans and craftsmen here but their ways of working worry him. Maharjan believes that best masterpieces can be created in Nepal itself, which will have the potential to be sold anywhere in the world. I encourage people in this business to create fusion of our traditional knowledge with the modernity, he says. He does not see any competition in the field of creativity.

Maharjan has always prioritised doing something new than simply following what others are doing in the crowd. That is the mantra to be on the top, he believes. Then, he initiated manufacturing in a professional manner as he was not satisfied with the quality of locally-made jewelleries.

For Maharjan, business is more than profit and margins. He believes jewellery business cannot sustain without goodwill and trust. He describes, Customers must be assured that they will get back cash upon returning the products. My target is to do marketing through quality rather than advertisements. Maybe, that is why he claims that he has never advertised his jewellery store or even kept a billboard with the showroom's name. He claims he gets customers through trust and goodwill gained by selling quality products.

Maharjan sees the jewellery market growing in the last four years with a definite change in lifestyle of people in Nepal. In the past, only head of the family used to earn but now everyone makes some earnings. They can afford what they desire for. Rather than copying others, now people want something unique to look different,he explains. He adds that it is Nepali culture to invest in jewelleries and houses as assets rather than luxury.

Maharjan says he is very much satisfied with what he is doing. His business philosophy based on service rather than just selling precious metals has grown multinational. He has stores at Manhattan Fifth Avenue, Alaska and a distribution point in Los Angeles. In 2005 the first store was opened in USA on his wife's insistence. Now, Maharjan's in-laws are looking after the stores there. We wanted to see how it works outside and we had that confidence too. We were overwhelmed by the response of people when we put up a stall for the first time at a programme organised by Nepalis in America,he proudly shares. He claims he sold jewelleries worth US$ 10 thousand within half an hour. Then, the first store in Manhattan was opened with the help of the company where he worked in Hong Kong. He says he still has good relations with the company, where he learnt the tricks of the trade. Now, the major export destination of finished diamond products from Nepal is the US itself and these products are exported through R B Diamond Jewellers.

Under his group, more than 150 employees are working. Maharjan claims that he treats them as his family. “It depends on them where the company will head for. I believe good people should prosper and succeed. I take care of their comfort and satisfaction,he shares his ways of motivating staff. He says problems are sorted out by discussing them. He has also given them assurance that they don't have to worry about their family's health and education. Maharjan also claims that he can't bear the sad faces of employees and cares that they don't get hurt.

He is planning to expand his business further to handicraft. Maharjan's aim has always been to promote the local knowledge and craftsmanship. In his free time, Maharjan concentrates on the designs and obtaining more knowledge in the stones. He is currently busy designing for the 2012 collections. He says he can ponder over a stone for hours. Apart from that, he also likes to read spiritual books and contemplate on spiritual aspects of life. Maharjan says he is content with what he has got and does not think much about himself and his luxurious wish list. Even during leisure he plans about his companies. He says his family has always been with him even in the business so he feels lucky that he does not have to fight over managing time.

Maharjan goes back to past, I used to feel that I don't have any vision. From my seniors, I learnt a lot about life and even doing business. I am here all because of such guiding hands and suggestions. He also has the hope that his second generation will take his business further. He expects their education, energy and his experiences to lead the business in future.

The 47 year old Maharjan is planning about making a foray into the handicraft business. Apart from that, he is also looking forward to expanding outlets all over the US.