Sparkle 2011 does biz beyond expectation

SURAT: Sparkle -2011, the four-day extravaganza of South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), ended here on Sunday evening on an upbeat mood as it generated about Rs 500 crore of new business, besides counter sales in retail to the tune of Rs 25 crore.
About 133 exhibitors from Surat city and south Gujarat displayed jewellery made of diamond, gold and silver at the event which was visited by over 10,000 people.
Gujarat minister Narottam Patel, district collector A J Shah, Surat municipal commissioner S Aparna and Canadian MP Patrick Brown attended the closing ceremony. This was the first exhibition of the series of four which was held concurrently with the IIJS in Mumbai and yet did well.
Patel said Sparkle will open up new horizons of development and expansion for the diamond and jewellery business. He expressed the hope that like it is in diamonds, Surat will also become a jewellery hub of the world.
A Bhandari of Indian Jewellery Association of Japan, who had some stalls in the exhibition, said, "We had come to Surat without much expectations, but got amazing response. Next year, we will bring a large number of people from Japan to the event."