The Argyle Pink Diamond Cup, a polo match, was held in Jaipur, India’s pink city. The event was contested between the Royal Jaipur Polo team and the Western Australian polo team. The event, which was open to the public to watch, underscored the long association between diamonds, India and Rio Tinto’s Argyle Pink diamonds.
Head of the Jaipur Royal Family, Maharaj Narendra Singh captained the winning Royal Jaipur team that played the match in the presence of Her Highness Maharani Padmini Devi, the acting Australian High Commissioner to India and senior Rio Tinto executives.
Nik Senapati, Managing Director of Rio Tinto India, “We are delighted to be in Jaipur to present the inaugural Argyle Pink Diamond Cup, which is a reflection of the enduring relationship between Western Australia’s Argyle Diamond Mine and the Indian diamond industry. This relationship has developed into a formidable competitive advantage that has led to significant employment opportunities in both countries.”
The Argyle Pink Diamond Cup was designed and manufactured Nirav Modi, one of India’s finest designers and jewellery retailers.
Post the match, the Jaipur Royal Family later hosted an invitation-only dinner at their City Palace where heirloom pieces of Argyle pink diamond jewellery were showcased and worn by Pallavi Sharda, a rising Australian Bollywood star.
According to Jean-Marc Lieberherr, Chief Commercial Officer for Rio Tinto Diamonds, “Diamonds are sacred to India and Argyle pink diamonds are symbolic to Australia and so we are excited to be able to showcase Australia’s finest export in this quintessential Indian setting. This has also provided an opportunity to look back at the 30 year relationship we have enjoyed in India, and look forward to the next few decades as India continues on its trajectory to be the powerhouse of the global diamond industry.”
The Argyle Pink Diamond Cup is part of the OzFest programme, the biggest Australian cultural festival ever held in India.
src: Diamond World