Ludhiana: Ritesh Jain, a resident of Hoshiarpur, Punjab, has achieved a remarkable feat. Ritesh, an accomplished artist acknowledged by the Central Handicraft Department, has set four world records by applying gold coating to artifacts using advanced technology. His work has also earned recognition from Startup India's DIPP programme.

He had a deep in interest in art and creativity since childhood, and he embarked on this journey with a small investment in the year 2007. It was around 2015-2016 when his work began gaining popularity. It's worth noting that startups certified by DIPP can access Intellectual Property Rights benefits without requiring additional licenses from the Inter-Ministerial Board.

The idea

Ritesh shares that he began collaborating with his father in the family jewellery business back in 2007. At that time, the jewellery was primarily made of platinum, but they encountered issues with its polish deteriorating over time and causing skin problems for customers. This led them to consider the idea of applying a thicker layer of gold coating to the jewellery.  

Making statues 

Initially, Ritesh ventured into crafting low-budget jewellery, but his skills extended beyond that. Gradually, his work gained recognition and people started purchasing the jewellery. Ritesh compares his work to that of the gold layering of temples; according to him, his jewellery is of such high quality that it would not lose its charm even after decades of use. 

Ritesh also created a gold-coated 'Soldier's Hat' as a tribute to the martyrs, earning him the prestigious Indian Pride Award, presented by Retired Major General GD Bakshi. Moreover, Ritesh also crafts gold-coated marble statues. 

Creating gold-coated ‘Soldier’s Hat’

Ritesh Jain's inspiration for creating the gold-coated 'Soldier's Hat' came from a video he watched that depicted the sacrifices made by martyrs. He wished to honour these martyrs and decided to design gold-coated hats. Ritesh used resin marble to shape the hats and then applied a 24-carat pure gold coating to them. It was a meticulous process that spanned three months and cost him approximately Rs 2 lakh. The 'Soldier's Hat' contains 4 grams of gold and proudly features the tricolour flag as well.

Creating world records

Ritesh Jain created gold-coated statues of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and PM Narendra Modi. Notably, he applied a plate of 20 grams of 24-carat gold to the marble statue of Lord Mahavir Swami, which set the world record for the 'World Thickest Coating.' In addition to these achievements, his name is listed in the India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, and International Book of Records. His dedication to unique innovations has also earned him numerous awards and recognition.

Ensuring the best quality

Ritesh has made it possible for people with limited budgets to purchase jewellery of their favourite gold designs, regardless of the base metal used. These gold-coated products, despite their composition, convincingly mimic real gold and can even pass the nitric acid test, ensuring their quality and authenticity.