The inaugural diamond jewellery collection from Rio Tinto’s developing Bunder diamond project in India has been showcased on the red carpet at Mumbai’s famous Liberty Cinema.
Australian-born Indian actress Pallavi Sharda wore the magnificent diamond jewellery earrings and necklace, known as Courageous Spirit, to the premiere of Fearless Nadia, in celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema. The Courageous Spirit jewellery incorporates more than 25 carats of polished Bunder diamonds, including a 5.04 carat round brilliant cut white diamond and a 5.02 carat round brilliant cut cognac diamond.
Pallavi was joined on the stage by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan and the Premier
of South Australia, The Honourable Jay Weatherill.
“I am honoured to wear Rio Tinto’s beautiful diamond jewels, dedicated to the pioneering
spirit of the women of Madhya Pradesh, who are so much a part of the Bunder project’s
development,” Pallavi said.
Community consultation has been a key feature of Rio Tinto’s efforts on the ground, since
discovery of the Bunder diamond project in 2004. Women’s empowerment has been the
cornerstone of the work to understand the benefits that a world class diamond mine could
bring to the region.
Pallavi Sharda is the ambassador of Oz Fest – the biggest Australian cultural festival ever
held in India – to promote cultural exchange between the two countries.
There are many ties that bind Australia and the Indian diamond industry including a 30
year strategic alliance between Rio Tinto’s Argyle Diamond Mine and the Indian diamond
cutting and polishing industry. Likely to come into commercial production in 2017, the
Bunder project signals a new chapter in this alliance with Rio Tinto presenting a unique
opportunity for India to mine, manufacture and market its own diamonds. Once developed
the Bunder project is expected to place Madhya Pradesh in the top ten diamond
producing regions of the world.
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