Unique Angadias

While thieves were busy looting diamonds worth Rs 250 crore from inside the high security zone of theBrussels airport on February 19, it was business as usual in the world's biggest diamond cutting centre - Surat. 

It is believed that at least 90 per cent of the stolen sparklers were meant for polishing units in Surat. These units, known for putting the shine on nine out of 10 diamonds in the world, enjoy an annual turnover pegged at Rs 80,000 crore. Yet, Surat has never seen a Brussels-type heist. The secret perhaps lies in its unbelievably simple trade system founded entirely on trust. It is a system that could give corporate lawyers and executives a nightmare because of its informal nature, but it works perfectly well for Surat's businessmen. The Brussels incident has rattled some of Surat's top diamond merchants into rethinking its loose security system . But it is unlikely that this will lead to any alterations in how crores change hands in this city. Here is why. Surat has more than 3,500 large and small diamond manufacturing units employing around 4.5 lakh workers. If this sees like a story from the Panchatantra don't be fazed....more than 150 years ago,2 brothers-Jairam and Ambalal Patel came to Bombay from Gujarat to earn a livelihood.The Patels consider themselves superior to the Vaniyas ( traders from Gujarat).
Struggling to make a livin the brothers  began running errands---delivering parcels  to Gujarat--- for a modest fee.The oldest industrial belt ---- the textile belt-----at the time extended from Bombay to Gujarat.This set the brothers thinking--they realised speed, regularilty and reliability were  of utmost importance. Railways were in their embryonic stage and postal services not as speedy, so they hired couriers from among the commuinity.

The first service was between Bombay and Surat ( where the East India company was located).Today, a vast network of angadias deliver anything from small parcels, cash to valuables and precious diamonds!