Dr. B. Govindan is the Chairman of Bhima Jewellery and one of India’s most respected jewellery entrepreneurs. Over six decades, he has transformed a single family-owned showroom into a globally recognised brand with **116 showrooms** across India and the Middle East. Guided by trust, transparency and innovation, he introduced several industry-first practices that redefined jewellery retail. Beyond business, his leadership, philanthropy and commitment to customer satisfaction have made him a respected figure in the Indian jewellery industry.
Keyfacts
Full Name: Dr. B. Govindan
Position: Chairman, Bhima Jewellery
Industry: Jewellery Retail
Birthplace: Alappuzha, Kerala
Education: B.Com; Doctorate in Gemology (University of Colombo)
Experience: Over 60 years in the jewellery industry
Brand Presence: 116 showrooms across India and the Middle East
A Legacy That Sparkles Beyond Jewellery
In the jewellery business, gold may be the product that attracts customers, but trust is what brings them back generation after generation. Few entrepreneurs have understood this principle as profoundly as Dr. B. Govindan, Chairman of Bhima Jewellery. Over six decades, he has transformed a modest family-run jewellery business into one of South India’s most respected retail brands, built on integrity, innovation, and customer confidence.
Today, Bhima Jewellery has grown into an internationally recognised brand with 116 showrooms across India and the Middle East. While the company is known for its exquisite jewellery collections, its greatest asset continues to be the trust it has earned over more than a century.
Humble Beginnings
The story of Bhima Jewellery began long before Dr. Govindan entered the business. It started with his father, the late Bhima Bhattar, whose entrepreneurial journey remains one of determination and perseverance.
Originally from Udupi, Bhima Bhattar moved to Alappuzha to live with his maternal uncle. While pursuing his education, he worked in a hotel to support himself. He later continued his college studies in Thiruvananthapuram before returning to Alappuzha, where he decided to pursue a career in the gold trade.
At that time, organised jewellery showrooms were almost non-existent. With limited financial resources, he began selling gold ornaments from a small roadside setup. As customer confidence steadily increased, he established a modest jewellery shop in Alappuzha. That small establishment became the official beginning of Bhima Jewellery—a brand that would eventually become one of India’s most trusted names in jewellery retail.
The company was named after its founder, Bhima Bhattar, and despite tremendous expansion over the decades, the name continues to honour his vision and values.
The Foundation of a Jewellery Empire
Born into the Bhima family in Alappuzha, Dr. B. Govindan developed a passion for the jewellery business from an early age by spending time in his father’s showroom. After completing a Commerce degree and advanced studies in gemology, he joined Bhima & Brothers at 18, choosing to learn every aspect of the trade from the showroom floor. Those early experiences shaped his customer-first philosophy and laid the foundation for his future leadership.
Learning Every Aspect of the Trade
At the age of eighteen, Dr. Govindan formally joined Bhima & Brothers as a Sales and Marketing Executive. Rather than moving directly into a leadership position, he chose to begin at the showroom level, learning every aspect of the business from the ground up.
These early years coincided with one of the most challenging periods in India’s gold industry. The Gold Control era, changing government regulations, fluctuating prices, and evolving consumer preferences created an environment that demanded resilience and adaptability.
Working directly with customers taught him an important lesson that continues to define Bhima Jewellery today: every ornament carries an emotion. Jewellery is rarely an ordinary purchase—it marks weddings, celebrations, investments, family traditions, and life’s most treasured memories. Understanding these emotions became central to Bhima’s customer-first philosophy.
Learning to Build, Then Building to Last
When Dr. Govindan entered the family business, Bhima operated from a single jewellery showroom in Alappuzha. Few could have imagined that the small establishment founded by his father would one day grow into an international retail network.
Over the following decades, Dr. Govindan led Bhima’s expansion with a clear vision: growth should never come at the expense of customer trust. Rather than pursuing rapid expansion alone, he focused on building long-term relationships with customers, strengthening quality standards, and creating a consistent shopping experience across every showroom.
Today, Bhima Jewellery has a strong presence across Kerala while expanding successfully into Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and the Gulf region, particularly Dubai. The company now operates 116 showrooms and has become one of the most recognised jewellery brands among Indians both at home and abroad.
Despite this remarkable growth, Bhima has remained a family-owned enterprise that continues to uphold the values established by its founder more than a century ago.
Transforming Jewellery Retail
Dr. B. Govindan modernised jewellery retail by introducing innovations that enhanced transparency and customer trust. Bhima pioneered price tags, barcode billing, daily gold rate displays, and even installed an ATM inside a jewellery showroom. The company also became India’s first jewellery showroom to receive ISO 9001 certification (2001) and Kerala’s first with BIS certification, setting new standards for quality, transparency, and customer convenience.
Listening Before Creating
Dr. B. Govindan introduced a customer-first approach to jewellery design by displaying new collections in showrooms before launching them. Customers are encouraged to share their opinions on design, style, and pricing before the pieces go into production. The most preferred designs are then manufactured and introduced across Bhima showrooms. This unique process reduces market risk, improves customer satisfaction, and ensures every collection reflects changing consumer preferences.
Gold as an Investment
Having witnessed the evolution of the gold market for more than six decades, Dr. Govindan firmly believes that gold remains one of the safest long-term investments. According to him, history has consistently shown that gold prices appreciate over time despite short-term fluctuations.
He points out that gold offers advantages that many other assets cannot. Apart from generating long-term value, it provides immediate liquidity during emergencies. While assets such as real estate often require time to sell, gold can be converted into cash quickly whenever required. This combination of value appreciation and financial security has made gold an essential part of Indian household savings for generations.
Serving the Jewellery Industry
Beyond Bhima Jewellery, Dr. B. Govindan has played a key role in India’s organised jewellery sector. He has served as President of the All Kerala Gold & Silver Merchants Association and held leadership positions in several trade bodies, including the Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and the Gems & Jewellery Council. As a Government-approved Gold Valuer, he has also contributed to strengthening industry standards, transparency, and professionalism.
Business with Social Responsibility
Dr. B. Govindan believes business success should benefit society. Under his leadership, Bhima allocates a portion of its annual revenue to support education, healthcare, scholarships, and social welfare initiatives. He has always preferred meaningful community service over publicity, making philanthropy a core part of the company’s values.
Records and Recognition
Under Dr. B. Govindan’s leadership, Bhima Jewellery has achieved several remarkable milestones. In 2017, the company entered the Guinness World Records by organising the world’s largest physical self-care lesson involving 2,886 students. Bhima has also recorded nearly ₹200 crore in single-day sales during a festive season, reflecting the brand’s strong customer trust. Dr. Govindan’s contributions have been honoured with several prestigious awards, including the Karmashreshta Award, multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards, and recognition among India’s leading jewellery personalities.
Looking Ahead
Despite leading one of India’s largest jewellery retail chains, Dr. Govindan remains remarkably humble when discussing the future.
He often says that the ultimate direction of Bhima Jewellery rests in God’s hands. While the company continues to prepare for growth, he believes every achievement is possible only through hard work, customer trust, and divine blessings.
The immediate plan is ambitious. Bhima aims to open approximately 25 new showrooms within the coming year, further strengthening its presence across India and international markets while continuing to uphold the values on which the business was founded.
Carrying Forward a Century of Trust
More than a century after Bhima Jewellery was founded, Dr. B. Govindan continues to uphold its core values of integrity, quality, innovation, and customer trust. Under his leadership, the company has grown from a small family business into a global jewellery brand with 116 showrooms, while preserving the principles on which it was built. For millions of customers, Bhima remains a symbol of purity, reliability, and trust passed down through generations.
