Hari Krishna Exports gifts a car to each employee this diwali
In a heartwarming Diwali gesture, Hari Krishna Exports surprises all employees with cars, highlighting its commitment to employee happiness and success.
The Power of Generosity: Hari Krishna Exports’ Unprecedented Diwali Car Giveaway
The festival of Diwali, a celebration of light, prosperity, and the triumph of good, is marked across India with time-honored traditions. For employees of the Surat-based diamond merchant Hari Krishna Exports (HKE), however, the festival is synonymous with an annual bonus that transcends the typical box of sweets: the chance to receive lavish gifts like flats, jewelry, and, most famously, brand-new cars. Under the visionary leadership of its founder and chairman, Savji Dholakia, HKE has transformed the corporate bonus into a spectacular, nationally watched event that underscores a profound philosophy of shared wealth and employee loyalty.
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A Tradition of Transformative Rewards
While the specifics of the giveaway change each year based on company performance and employee milestones, the core principle remains consistent: rewarding hard work and dedication through the company’s ‘Loyalty Programme’ (sometimes referred to as the ‘Dravya’ programme). The latest iterations of this extraordinary tradition—such as the gifting of hundreds of cars—have cemented HKE’s reputation as one of India’s most employee-centric companies. This is not just a seasonal gesture; it is an annual demonstration of a belief system that sees the employees as the true architects of the firm’s success.
The massive scale of the company’s generosity has consistently grabbed headlines, with past years seeing an astonishing distribution of wealth. In 2016, for instance, HKE gifted an unprecedented 1,260 cars and 400 flats to its best-performing staff, a cumulative reward valued at over ₹51 crore (approximately $7.5 million at the time). Another notable year saw 600 employees receive cars or fixed deposit certificates. These gifts are carefully calibrated—an employee who already owns a house might receive a car, while one who has neither might be prioritized for a flat’s down payment, reflecting Dholakia’s stated goal that every HKE employee should own their own home and car within five years of working for the company.
The Dholakia Philosophy: Invest in the Pillars of Growth
Savji Dholakia’s business philosophy is rooted in his humble beginnings. Having started in the diamond trade with a small loan from an uncle, he deeply understands the aspirations of his workforce, many of whom are skilled diamond polishers who migrated to Surat to build a better life. His motto is simple yet radical: “I don’t spend money on charity for strangers. I do social work for the people who toil for my company. I share the profit with the people who created the profit.”
This approach to ‘social business’ contrasts sharply with traditional corporate bonus structures. By providing significant, life-changing assets like cars and homes, Dholakia aims to remove the foundational worries of his employees, allowing them to focus entirely on their work and contribute their maximum potential. The gifts are not merely handouts; they are performance incentives tied to a rigorous loyalty and performance metric. This, in Dholakia’s view, fosters an unparalleled level of loyalty, a low attrition rate, and a family-like culture where employees feel genuinely invested in the company’s long-term prosperity.
The company’s strategy demonstrates a clear link between employee well-being and corporate turnover. With an annual turnover in the thousands of crores, HKE justifies the massive expenditure on bonuses as an investment in human capital that yields exponential returns in productivity and quality. The visible pride of the employees driving their new vehicles or moving into their new homes serves as a powerful testament to the company’s values, making it an aspirational employer in the diamond industry.
National Recognition and Corporate Responsibility
The story of Hari Krishna Exports’ Diwali giveaway has resonated far beyond Surat’s diamond-polishing hub. It has become a national phenomenon, often highlighted in the media as a gold standard of corporate generosity. The magnitude of the gifts has even drawn attention at the highest levels of government, with the keys to the new cars occasionally being handed over by dignitaries, including the Prime Minister of India, who have addressed the employees via video conference to commend the company’s loyalty program. This public endorsement further amplifies the social and economic impact of the event.
However, such grand gestures do not come without scrutiny. The company has faced discussions and occasional disputes regarding the fine print of the program, particularly concerning the financing model (where the company may cover the down payment and EMIs for a period) and matters of compliance, such as an old issue regarding employee provident fund registrations. While the company has generally addressed these concerns, the sheer scale of the bonuses continues to spark debates about corporate social responsibility, the true cost of employee retention, and the effectiveness of such high-value, in-kind compensation.
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A Beacon of Hope in the Corporate Landscape
The annual Diwali car and home giveaway by Hari Krishna Exports stands as a bold and inspiring exception to conventional corporate practices. It is a powerful narrative about a business that has chosen to directly channel its success back to its workforce, transforming the lives of thousands of families with the gift of mobility and security. For Savji Dholakia, it is the ultimate expression of gratitude; for his employees, it is a life-altering reward; and for the rest of the corporate world, it is a vivid demonstration of the immense power of generosity to build a loyal, dedicated, and high-performing workforce.
Disclaimer: The details regarding the number of cars and specific gifts change annually. The figures cited reflect well-documented past events as examples of the ongoing tradition.
You can see a glimpse of the past celebrations here: This video from 2014 showcases the grand scale of the gift-giving event, where the diamond merchant distributed cars, flats, and jewelry.
