Anant "Dajikaka" Gadgil
| Anant Gadgil | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 11, 1915. Sangli, India |
| Died | January 10, 2014 (aged 98) Pune, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Other names | Dajikaka |
| Occupation | businessman |
| Known for | PN Gadgil Jewellers |
Anant "Dajikaka" Gadgil (September 11, 1915 – January 10, 2014) was an Indian businessman and founder of PN Gadgil Jewellers.
In February 1958, Gadgil moved his family brand, the Purushottam Narayan Gadgil & Co (PN Gadgil Jewellers; founded by his ancestor Ganesh Narayan Gadgil in 1832) from Sangli to Pune. The brand saw rapid expansion across the state of Maharashtra under Gadgil's business acumen. He set up the premier PN Gadgil Jewellers store on Laxmi Road. In 2000, he established the brand ‘PNG’, making the family business change into a corporate one. He initiated Gadgil Capital Services in 2001, and in 2007, Gadgil Commodity Service, thus marking the brand’s entry into finance and capital gains. In 2008, ‘Dajikaka Gadgil Developers Pvt Ltd’ was formed, marking Gadgil's entry into the real estate and construction businesses
In 1987, he was unanimously elected the President of the Pune Saraf Association.
Gadgil died following a cardiac arrest, after being admitted to Prayag Hospital for a chest and lung infection.
Gadgil was survived in business by his grandson Saurabh Gadgil, who in late 2014, established the Dajikaka Gadgil Museum in his honor. The museum was inaugurated by actress Madhuri Dixit.
Gadgil was conferred with numerous awards and felicitations throughout his career: ‘Khaas Nagri Satkar’ by the Pune Municipal Corporation in 2005, the ‘Sangli Bhushan’ Award in 2007, ‘Lifetime Achievement’ Award by the Bombay Bullion Association in 2008, the Rotary Excellence Award, ‘Senior Social Worker’ Award from the Senior Citizens Association, Punya Ratna Award in 2012, and the Anmol Ratna Award by Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation of India in 2013.
He established the Global Mind Sports Foundation for the promotion of chess and was honored for his contribution to the bullion trade industry by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the Pune Merchants Chamber, the Suryadatta Foundation, and by the Rotary Club.
Gadgil authored a travelogue of the river Ganga from its source at Gomukh in the Himalayas to its end at the Sagar Island off the Bay of Bengal.
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