Savjibhai Dholakia
Gem dealer Savjibhai Dholakia, the most generous man and manager in India, again lived up to that title by lavishing employees of his diamond trading company with 1,260 cars and 400 apartments on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali this weekend.
Dholakia, founder and CEO of Hare Krishna Exports based in Surat, Gujarat, said the gifts are part of a company policy to enrich his staff. He's affectionately called "Kaka" (child) by his employees.
"Our aim is that each employee must have his own home and car in the next five years. So we have decided to gift cars, homes and jewelry to employees," said Dholakia.
Millionaire Dholakia began this unprecedented d spreading of wealth in 2012. He considers the items bonuses in recognition of his employees' loyalty, outstanding performance and commitment and not giveaways.
His company's loyalty program will distribute some $7 million to an unknown number of staff from its 5,500-strong workforce.
To celebrate Diwali in 2014, Kaka gave 1,268 long serving employees cars, apartments and jewelry, among other loyalty bonuses. Almost 500 employees opted for the Fiat Puntos, 570 employees decided to have jewelry cases and 207 employees chose two-bedroom apartments.
Last year he explained the reason for his continuing generosity.
"It's a refund of sorts to those who have stayed with us, helped improve our products and grown with the Hari Krishna family. I am merely giving back," he said.
"I know what it is like to have needs. When a worker is happy, he can do anything at all for you."
Dholakia's incredible version of employee rewards began in 2012 when he gave away three cars to loyal workers. He gave away 70 cars in 2013.
Dholakia believes that these incentives help keep his employees motivated.
"We created the hunger among the employees -- they work better, they take home better incentives," said Dholakia.
