Tryst with history

Trust explains brand Vummidi's enduring progress

- K.T. JAGANNATHAN

Scoring a century is tough. Tougher still is to keep playing. This is easier said than done for this family business, Vummudi Bangaru Jewellers (VBJ), which was founded way back in 1900. The business has already seen four generations in the family (see family tree). The fifth one too has got into it. Brand Vummidi has not only survived the test of time but also come to symbolise fairness in what it does. Today, the family proudly identifies itself as manufacturing jewellers. Vummidiars are well-known - a household name in Chennai. Think of gold, Vummidis come to minds ever so quickly.

Brand Vummidi has, all of a sudden, now become a national talking point, after the installation of sengol (sceptre) near the Speaker's seat in the new Parliament. Vummidis were traced to be the makers of sengol that the Adeenams in Tamil Nadu had gifted to Pandit Nehru to symbolise the transfer of power from the British. The installation of the sengol in the new Parliament by the Modi Sarkar has indeed pushed the Vummidis into an unprecedented limelight. The entire Vummidi clan was reportedly in attendance at the sengol-installation ceremony at the indigenously-built new Parliament building recently. If the sengol installation has cast on Brand Vummidi an additional responsibility, it has also elevated the brand equity of Vummidi to a new level.

Fourth generation family

The story of Vummidis is fascinating for the way it came into being and evolved over many summers into a compelling destination for people of assorted sort, who have propensity to buy gold ornaments. With fourth generation members now well and truly into the business and the fifth generation too comfortably sliding into the family business, Vummidiars are unique in a state where family-run businesses are dime a dozen.