Page 54 - DAIS - DAISPORA ISSUE 05

Alumni Trivia
Siddhant graduated from DAIS in 2018
and currently lives and works in Dubai. He
SIDDHANT runs a family office built on the foundation
of a diamond manufacturing business with
MEHTA over 3 generations and 50 years of
history. He studied entrepreneurship and
strategic management at Babson College
Class of 2018 before joining his family business in India
and later expanding operations to UAE.
CURRENTLY HIDDEN BUCKET
READING : TALENT : LIST :
The Alchemist by Eliciting a laugh Make something
Paulo Coelho (especially at the worst wonderful
times)
Educational Experiences Professional Experiences
Siddhant proudly states he was at DAIS since he After graduating with Latin honours in a rapidly
wore the “sun uniform”, and if there’s one thing he changing post-COVID world, Siddhant quickly
learnt in his 14 years at the school it’s that joined his family business that specializes in
“pressure is a privilege”. The environment of manufacturing gem-quality natural diamonds. He
excellence, being surrounded by the best faculty spent a year in Surat learning the nuances of the
and peers the country, has to offer is truly manufacturing business, something that he
phenomenal, he claims. It gave him a chance to believes can only be learnt when you get down in
explore every academic avenue ranging from the the trenches and get your hands messy. He then
sciences to literature and language, and ultimately returned to Mumbai to expand the product
helped him develop varied interests that benefit offerings of the business, and eventually saw an
him to this day. He says most of business is about opportunity to set up a family office and diversify
connecting with people, and that the opportunities beyond the traditional diamond business. This led
DAIS gave him to develop as an individual both him to Dubai, where he now not only sources rough
inside and outside the classroom made him diamonds, but also invests in start-ups, funds and
comfortable in every setting, be it on the factory financial markets. He recently passed the CFA
floor in Surat or a jewellery auction in Geneva. He Level 1 exam to upskill himself for his expanded
also highlights the importance of intellectual career-path and aspires to become a CFA charter
curiosity to stay relevant in the modern business holder in the near future.
environment, another gift from his time at the Advice & Reflections
school.
He almost laughs at the fact that no academic A simple mantra: 1. Be yourself 2. Know where
you’re going 3. Have fun getting there.
challenge quite compared to the IB at DAIS, but it It’s that simple, but adopting this attitude can take
a lifetime of practice. As DAIS students or alumni,
left him well-prepared to pursue a
dual-concentration at Babson College in a quick 3 it’s no doubt that we have big dreams and every
years. He always knew he wanted to join his family intention of realizing them, but make sure they’re
business, but stresses that an academic experience your dreams, define them to the most minute
outside the bubble of DAIS and the comforts of detail, and most of all, enjoy the process!
home were vital for his growth.