A galaxy of High Commissioners of African Commonwealth Countries – Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Africa, Namibia etc.   were present in Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bangalore  to witness the inauguration of STONA 2018 on 8th February, 2018.

 

The Executive Committee members of the Federation of Indian Granite and Stone Industry (FIGSI) led by Shri R. Sekar, President; Shri Ishwinder Singh, Chairman, STONA, and  Shri  Manoj Kumar Singh, Treasurer, STONA, inaugurated the exhibition in the open ground.  The inauguration commenced with lighting of lamp in the presence of a big gathering of specially invited delegates and guests which included many VIPs and officials of FIGSI and STONA.

 

Many African countries have extensive deposits of marble, granite and quartzite.   Indians can provide consultancy in setting up of their quarrying, processing and marketing facilities; machine manufacturers can extend help by supplying most suitable technology and machines; diamond tool manufacturers and polishing abrasive and consumable manufacturers can provide required consumables and tools.  Some of the Indian companies have imported granite and marble blocks for home consumption as well as for export to USA.  

 

Mr. K. Vikram Rastogi, President, Stone Technology Centre Group of Companies, who is an international consultant, stone technologist, educationist, journalist and a trainer in dimension stone sector and has already worked as a Consultant for Commonwealth Secretariat, 

London, for developing granite/marble mines and processing factories by preparing detailed project reports for Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zambia and has also worked as Consultant with UNIDO, Vienna, for a slate quarrying and processing project in Bhutan, interacted with High Commissioners of African Continent so as to tap their vast resources of granite and marble  and use finished products of their own produce as against imported stones from Italy and China; skill development training ultimately reducing the overall cost of production and, thus, resulting in reduced construction cost which would give a boost to their economy.