Precious Gems of Sri Lanka Treasured Around the World

During my wonder years, I used to walk on the sandy beds of river Mahawali collecting pebbles. As I searched for treasures among the stones, I was unaware that the island of Sri Lanka had been blessed with endless streams of precious gems.  Today, whenever I hold a gem between my fingers, I envision the beauty of the island and its rich soil.  I enjoy the purest physical pleasure from the energy I receive from these wonderful gifts of the creator.  I feel complete and whole, as though the perfection of the gems is somehow transferred to me.

In the ancient world, Sri Lanka was known by many names. Second century Greek geographers called it Taprobane.  Third and fourth century Arabic and Persian traders referred to Sri Lanka as Serendib. (From which we find the origin of the word serendipity.)  In the sixteenth century, the Portuguese gave Sri Lanka the name Ceilao when they arrived. When the British arrived and claimed the land as a British Colony, the Portuguese name was translated into English as Ceylon.  The island became the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972.

Geologically, it has been estimated that nearly 25% of the total land area of Sri Lanka is potentially gem bearing.  The highlands of the island are especially laden with complex gemstone deposits. are most abundent in the gem fields such as Ratnapura, Elahera, Walawe and Ballangodde. There are also many potential gem-bearing areas awaiting exploration. It is quite likely that the jewel box of Sri Lanka will continue to produce its precious treasures for centuries to come.

The Long Heritage of Sri Lankan Gems

There is a long and rich history of producing and trading precious gems within the eastern world.  Looking through historical and fictional writing, it is easy to establish the longstanding connection of Sri Lanka to this gem industry.  The rich and deep cultural connection, has even earned the island the title “Pearl of the Indian Ocean.”  Merchants of the coastal towns in Arabia grew so rich, that Greek and Roman historians observed that their doors, walls, and even the roofs of their houses were beautifully inlaid with “ivory, gold, silver, and precious stones from the land of Serendib (Ceylon).”

Legend says that King Soloman of the bible wooed the queen of Sheba with precious stones taken from the “paradise island” of Sri Lanka.  In the second century, astronomer Claudius Ptolemy, recorded that “beryl and sapphires were the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s gem industry”.  The awe-inspiring stories of Sinbad the Sailor are full of rich accounts of Sri Lankan gems and gem deposits, bearing further evidence of the influence of the island’s gemological bounty on the writing and story-telling of the eastern cultures.

In his classic work, ‘Divestment dou Monde’ (Description of the World), Marco Polo, the medieval Venetian traveller and chronicler (c. 1254 – 1324) wrote of the abundance of gemstones during his 1292 visit to Sri Lanka. “I want you to understand that the island of Ceylon is, for its size, the finest island in the world, and from its streams comes rubies, sapphires, topazes, amethyst and garnet”.  Sixteenth century Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama noted that “Ceylon has all the fine cinnamon of the Indies and the best sapphires.”

  


In 1344 Ibn Battuta, the reputed Islamic scholar and traveler  in his travelogue wrote that “gems are found in all localities of the island.  All the women of the Serandib possess necklaces of precious stones of diverse colors.  They wear them on their hands and feet in the form of anklets and bracelets.  I have seen on the forehead of the white elephant several of these precious stones, each of which was larger than a hen’s egg”.

In the seventeenth century, sailor Robert Knox wrote, “In this Island are several sorts of precious stones, which the king for his part has enough of and so careth not to have more discoveries made. Also there are certain rivers out of which it is generally reported that they do take rubies and sapphires and catseyes for the king’s use. And I have seen several pretty colored stones, some as big as cherry stones and some as buttons, and transparent, but understood not what they were. Rubies and sapphires I myself have seen.”

Indeed, the island is considered by many to be one of the oldest sources of sapphires in the world.  Perhaps Dr. Eduard J. Gubelin the famous gemologist, summed it best when he said: “The island of Ceylon was the world’s first source of sapphires and remained the premier supplier of these gem-quality stones for centuries. No sapphire in the world can equal that obtained in Sri Lanka”

                  Sri Lanka Gems Adorn Many Crowns Around the World

Blue Giant of the Orient

At 486.52 carats, this gem is considered to be the largest blue sapphire in the world.  Discovered in Sri Lanka in 1907, the gem was sold to an anonymous American collector and connoisseur of gemstones and art works.  Nothing was heard of the stone until 2004, when the “Blue Giant of the Orient suddenly appeared at a Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale held on May 19, 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland.




Queen Marie of Romania Sapphire

This 478.68 carat cushion cut deep cornflower blue of Sri Lankan origin could be the most famous and historic sapphire.  The gem was originally purchased by King Ferdinand of Romania for his beautiful consort Queen Marie (1875 – 1938).  On November 19, 2003, the gemstone came up for auction at Christie’s Geneva under the title of “property of a noble family.”  The buyer of the gemstone is unknown.

Logan Blue Sapphire

The Logan is a 423 carat rich deep blue sapphire that was discovered in Sri Lanka.  The gem has ben set in a brooch and surrounded by twenty round brilliant-cut diamonds.  The gem has been named in honour of Mrs. John A. Logan.  She donated the stone to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. in 1960.

Blue Belle of Asia

The Blue Belle is  a 400 carat cornflower-blue sapphire that was discovered in Sri Lanka in 1926.  The word “belle” refers to the extraordinary beauty of this enormous beauty of this blue sapphire owned by Lord Naffield of Britain.  The fate of the “Blue Belle of Asia” after his death is not known.

Empress Maria’s Sapphire

This Sri Lankan blue sapphire is 260.37 carats and was purchased by the Russian Emperor ALexander II in the London Great Exhibition of 1862 and presented to his wife Empress Maria Alexandronova.  Two years after her death in 1880, the gem was donated to the State Diamond Fund of theRussian Federation where it is proudly displayed at their museum in Gokhran, Russia.

Bismarck Sapphire

A 98.6 carat cornflower-blue sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka in 1920.  The gemstone was gifted to countess Mona von Bismarck, the fashion icon of that era, by her third husband Herrison Williams in 1926.  Mona von Bismarck donated the stone to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. in 1967.

Star of India

This gemstone is a 563.35 carat grayish-blue star sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka.  J.P. Morgan donated the Star of India to the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 1900.

The Star of Artaban

The Star of Artaban is a 316 carat blue star sapphire of Sri Lankan origin.  The gem was purchased by a member of the Georgia Mineral Society toward the end of 1943. It was later presented anonymously to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Star of Lanka

This grayish-blue star sapphire is 193 carats and was discovered in the 20^th century in Sri Lanka.  It was originally owned by Allan Kaplan who sold the gemstone to the Royal Ontario Museum in 1958.

Star of Bombay

The Star of Bombay is a 182 carat violet-blue star sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka.  Given as a gift to Mary Pickford by her husband Douglas Fairbanks in the 1920’s. She bequeathed the gemstone to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., sometime before her death in 1979.

Rosser Reeves Star Ruby

At 138.7, the Rosser Reeves Star Ruby is one of the world’s largest and finest star rubies.  This Sri Lankan stone is renowned for is fantastic colour and well defined star pattern.  Advertising mogul Rosser Reeves donated the piece to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. in 1965.

Midnight Star Sapphire

The Midnight Star Sapphire is a 116.75 carat deep purple-violet star sapphire.  It wasdiscovered in Sri Lanka in the 19^th century.  J.P. Morgan donated the Midnight Star to the American Museum of Natural History in New York in the 1900s.

J.P. Morgan Collection

This collection is made up of three blue star sapphires – 188 carats, 158 carats and 153 carats respectively – of Sri Lankan origin.  They were a part of J.P. Morgan’s personal collection and were donated to the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Star of Ceylon

This 101.01 carat violet-blue star sapphire was originally discovered in Sri Lanka and is now in the hands of a private collector in Seattle, USA.

The Eye of the Lion

This 465 carat chrysoberyl cat’s eye gemstone was discovered in the late 1800’s in Pelmadulla, Sri Lanka.  It was originally owned by a family descended from King Rajasinghe the First, who ruled the island nation from 1581 to 1593.  The family appropriately named the gem “The Eye of the Lion.”  After the Smithsonian expressed interest in acquiring the gemstone in 1978, nothing was heard of it for nearly three decades.  The stone resurface in 2006 to visit the AGTA gemological testing center’s New York lab in the hands of gemstone dealer Jeffery Bergman of Primagem, Bangkok, Thailand.

  
Hope Cat’s Eye

At 500 carats, the Hope Cat’s Eye is the world’s largest chrysoberyl cat’s eye.  It iscarved to represent an alter surrounded by a torch.  Owned by the wealthy British banker and gem investor Thomas P. Hope, it is now on exhibit at the British Museum of Natural History.

British Royal Jewel

The British Royal Jewel is a 105 carat chrysoberyl cat’s eye of exceptional quality, discovered in Sri Lanka.  It acquired great fame when it was purchased for the British Royalty from a reputed London jeweler around 1900.  It is said that this cat’s eye was cherished by four British monarchs: Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, and Queen Elizabeth II.

Ray of Treasure

The Ray of Treasure is a 103 carat chrysoberyl cat’s eye  discovered in Sri Lanka.  This gemstone is a fine example of the most desirable qualities of cat’s eye stones.  It is currently part of the collection of the National Gem and Jewelry Authority (NGJA) in Sri Lanka.

Maharani Cat’s Eye

The 58.19 carat honey coloured chrysoberyl cat’s eye discovered in Sri Lanka is one of the finest gems of its kind.  It is currently displayed in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Timur Ruby

This 361 carat red spinel discovered in Sri Lanka and was once thought to be a ruby.The gem was originally owned by the Mogul Emperors of India who had their name engraved on the stone.  The Timur Ruby now finds its home among the crown jewels of Great Britain owned by Queen Elizabeth.

star sapphire (unnamed)

This unnamed gemstone is a 393 carat blue star sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka in 1970.  It is part of the collection of the National Gem and Jewelry Authority (NGJA) of Sri Lanka.

Black Prince Ruby

This 170 carat Sri Lankan red spinel is an extraordinary piece with a unique history.  Henry V of England wore a gem-encrusted helmet that included the Black Prince Ruby. Richard III is also reported to have worn the Black Prince Ruby in his helmet at the Battle of Bosworth Field where he died.  It now forms the centerpiece of the imperial state crown of Great Britain and is exhibited in the tower of London.

Splendour of Lanka

An 8042 carat blue sapphire gemstone discovered in Pelmadulla, Sri Lanka.

The Pride of Sri Lanka

The Pride of Sri Lanka is an 856 carat deep blue sapphire.  This gemstone was discovered near Ratnapura in 1998.

Unnamed Sapphire

This stone is a 250 carat deep-blue sapphire discovered in Pelmadulla, Sri Lanka.

Unnamed Yellow Sapphire

A large yellow sapphire weighing 1.3 kilograms was found two kilometers from Ratnapura, Sri Lanka.

Unnamed Corundum Crystal

This is a large homogenous corundum crystal showing parallel growth.

Unnamed Aquamarine Crystal
This large aquamarine crystal weighs 7.5 kilograms and was found near Hatton, Sri Lanka.

Other recent discoveries of large sapphires in the Ratnapura District of Sri Lanka

a) Orange Sapphire (825 carats) – It was transparent and free of cracks.

b) Blue Sapphire (2516 carats) – It was transparent.

c) Blue Sapphire (4002 Carats) – Found in the year 2000.

d) Blue Sapphire (254 carats) – This was a deep-blue sapphire


- Zeyan Hashim

Saga

Desert and the seas were mum

when odyssey commenced                                   

heading for a Serendib, caliphate thought a myth

sandal streaked temple builders, mango orchards and the pearls of sea depth

hasn’t deterred the progeny’s vision on a gem studded land

across the sea lane, in midst of inhospitable mountains, intransigent to conquistadors

who came as competing waves with thunder spitting magic wands

exalted and lived under pearl studded parasols,     

But                                                                                                        

Lo, here comes a new breed of conquistadors

masters in diplomacy and cold even when in fire

to pull the kings to the dust and send the progeny scattering

disguised and disgruntled                                                   

in to the oblivion

But, the new shoot, sprouted blunting debacles

emboldened after an identity quest

in attires of a new millennium

with veins full of warrior blood                      

akin to his forefathers

rode with the desert wind

even in the dawn of a new millennium, he still treks

looking for better pastures

while apportioning the wealth accumulated

As once a Bedouin, is always a Bedouin


- Zeyan Hashim

Revitalizing Nature’s Balance

Human species survive in the kingdom of nature; mankind is perpetually connected to it and totally benefited by the natural ecosystems of the earth and the ecosystem services they contribute. Humans have always been an immense dependant on forests to a lesser or greater degree.

Trees have had a great leverage in the Conservation of our planet and in determining the existing formation of life on earth, and the most noticeable living object which can be found everywhere except in dry and cold places and is attached to each and every type of organism available in some or the other way.

Sadly we find considerable amount of people engaged in the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands that maintains the atmosphere alongside the burning of fossil fuels, our destruction of the forests is a major contributory factor to the rising levels of carbon dioxide and global warming.

The scale of human pressures on ecosystems everywhere has increased enormously in the last few decades mainly the depletion of forests is happening at a very fast rate. And whenever humanity is affected by some sort of natural disaster, they look to the sky and curse mother nature without any concern how much of damage we have done to her.

Most of us rarely lend much thought to the importance of trees in our lives, may be because of their constant presence I believe. The safe keeping of our precious planet lies with each and every individual of the human population. So if the solutions aren’t taken quickly to restore the damages we have done; it is really going to be tough to save our mother earth.  


- Zeyan Hashim




                                              

                                          

Foundation to a Chateau in the Sky

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens

~Kahlil Gibran

In the beginning twists, turns, depths and drops weren’t in the agenda of droplets just oozed out of a fountain.  They were yet to be formed in to a brook which is the adolescence of a fountain. Yet it hasn’t formed in to a river and for that mammoth task it got to flow countless miles. The characteristic beauty we admire in a river is being dictated by the terrain it flows through and not primarily by the water it carries. Nature is such!

  

Traces of this dogma could be observed in human life.  Humans let destiny chisel their lives, because it is effortless and less-burdensome.  This is because many aren’t result-oriented.  So their lives flow inertly taking whatever courses and shapes the eventful life dictates.  Like a driftwood in a sea with no shore in mind, they adrift.  But there is a minority goes the other way around chiselling their destinies.  This is indeed a mammoth task as it demands lifelong discipline to the core and perseverance under countless drawbacks.  It is somewhat like a river planning its course as it pleases.
  

I have found an iconic figure who chiselled his own life as he pleases.  Our very first meeting revealed a determined self-believer with-in Zeyan Mohamed Hashim.  He was supervising one of his customary gem and mineral exhibitions in Santa Barbara California.  Zeyan beamed at me as known for ages when introduced myself.  Looking fresh under the Californian summer he nodded with a broad smile indicating he was expecting me.  He encouraged me to join the throng of viewers before interviewing him.  “See me through my gems’’ he said philosophically.

He displayed no symptoms of lethargy when mobbed by the viewers who showered him with questions.  Wide array of cut-outs and photos depicting Sri Lankan gems and various stages in gem mining made the exhibition an educational event rather than a commercial one.  I saw a pragmatic man within him.  Looking at the crowd he commented he wasn’t there to lecture like a preacher, but to aggravate their enthusiasm, so they would deepen their passion in gems in their leisure.  It was fascinating to watch the wide eyed viewers staring at his rare gems and minerals. 

He wasn’t interested when asked his background but well focused and resourceful when asked anything related to gems and minerals.  What matters here is gems and not me, he said gravely leaving no further space for me to dig in.  History of Sri Lankan gems goes deeper than one could imagine, he said.  “Why me?’’, he asked looking in to my eyes still smiling. “Theme of the exhibition is gems and not me.’’

Our brief conversation had revealed an exponent of gems within the ever-smiling man.  Present gem mining exhibits the hallmarks of indigenous methods used by the pristine Sri Lankan minors; he said standing next to his cut-outs.  The mining, lapidary methods and the trade tools haven't changed much so far.  This indicates Sri Lankan mining society favour the inherited indigenous knowhow than the up-to-date technology.  His in-depth knowledge in gems and the country of his origin was spellbinding.  Owe-stunning elaborations he produced of Sri Lanka’s pristine records in relation with gems were jaw dropping.  I raised my eyebrows when heard the biblical King Solomon was said to have procured a stunning ruby for his queen Sheba from Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon.  Traveller and explorer Marco Polo (1293 AD) wrote about the ruby that once graced the Ruwanweliseya Dagoba (a sacred Buddhist relic chamber) built in the 2nd century at Anuradhapura, an ancient Sri Lankan capital of North Central Sri Lanka.  According to Mahavansa, the chronicle of Sri Lanka, the lord Buddha himself is said to have come to Sri Lanka from India to settle a dispute between two kings, Chulodara and Mahodara, over a throne of gems.  Even the mighty kings had waged war for gems, he said seriously.  Rattling armour for gems indicates how invaluable they were.

My outside investigations revealed a keen collector of gems and minerals within Zeyan.  He had all the rights to do so for being a descendent of a Sri Lankan ancestry of renowned gem traders.  The once nondescript boy who collected pebbles from the Mahaweli riverbed had turned in to a committed collector of gems and minerals.  His could be one of the most significant collections of its kind in the world. 

He was born in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, as the second child of Abdul Rahuman Mohamed Hashim and Aysha Yoosuf.  His late father Abdul Rahuman Mohamed Hashim was a rebel of his own accord.  He had sidestepped from his family trade to live with his obsession of boxing which he picked up when schooling.  Elders had knitted their eyebrows in dismay when realised young Hashim was perusing a cause where no other had dreamt of in their progeny.  That was the period where the Ceylon Prisons Department was looking young blood with fighting spirit as recruits.  His parents had no option, but nod sadly when young Hashim cringed joining the Ceylon Prisons Department as a jailor.  Actually it wasn’t the khaki uniform he was fond of.  He was looking forward a rich pasture for sharpening his rudimentary martial arts skills.

Time turned the healer for the age old feud.  Time had forced Hashim to look at the depth of the cleavage created by his rebellious attitude.  In the end Hashim realised he couldn’t shun the request of his elders any more.  He had no option, but to leave the Prisons Department behind and join the family trade.  He returned to the ancestral hometown of Gampola with his family and joined the competitive trade his family was doing for ages.  Zeyan started his formal education from Zahira College in Gampola.  Instead of returning home after school, he had cultivated a habit of loitering in the sandy beds of river Mahaweli which is the longest river of Sri Lanka looking for pebbles.
  

His obsession with gems had retarded his education.  His lack of interest in formal education had made his parents uneasy.  It turned a habit for him to stray in to the sales outlets of gem traders and showering the sales assistants with countless questions to extract the finer points of the trade.  Soon young Zeyan was dubbed a window shopper by the city gem circle and a dreamer by his brothers and sisters.  Having stretched over his bed and engrossed watching sunrays playing with his multicoloured pebbles stored in empty jam containers was his favourite pastime then. 

This was the period he started his own charity inspired by the Islamic teachings.  Charity begins at home, he believed.   Less privileged are the ones vanquished by the extreme greed and lust, he thought.  The idea of doing whatever he could to elevate their lives haunted him. First charity under his sole administration sprung when he was barely seventeen years old and the capital came from his pocket money.
  

Making boyish excuses by frequently pretending staying couple of days with friends never bothered his parents.  The untold truth was he had laboured as a casual worker in remote gem pits to learn the life in the gem trade.  He felt no pain labouring in the gem pits under the scorching sun or working prolonging hours immersed in muddy water.  What important for him was extracting the first hand knowledge of the trade.  Practicality was the essence of learning for him.  Total exposure to the gem industry should start from the scratch was his conception.  Identifying a mud coated gemstone in a split second was a trade skill he acquired while working in the gem pits.  He favoured the hard way in life.
   

His inertness in education and inclination towards gems had pushed his parents’ to the end of their limit in patience.  His genetics were pulsing within him, they would have thought, heavy with disappointment.  In the end he was entrusted as an apprentice to the elders who were rich with gemmological knowledge.  Young Zeyan had spent many years under the distinguished elders of his family learning gemmology.  It was an ulterior methodology practiced by his progeny to secure the finer points and craftsmanship of the trade passed from one generation to another.  Gemmology he learned under them was quite contrary to the principals upheld by other school engaged in gem trade in Sri Lanka. 

Once picked up the essence, he was passed to the safe hands of his first cousins who were said to be the pioneers of the Sri Lankan gem trade.  Seven hard years of working under different gurus had made him an expert in the field.

Embolden with the knowledge and expertise, he had sprung in to action like a phoenix emerged from the ash.  Gushing desire to create a world of his own had made him busy as a bee.  Zeyan started visiting Palmadulla, Rathnapura (gem town in Singhalese language) and Balangoda areas bustling with gem mining.  He associated with all ranks in the mining trade and walked along inhospitable treks to reach mines in the shrub jungles.  The young entrepreneur befriended with the small-scale gem miners who were looking for a trustworthy buyer at their easy reach.  He started his own business when he was twenty nine years.
  

This was the period he started collecting rare gems and minerals.  He enriched his collection through the rapport maintained with the miners.  Zeyan developed a keen interest in Sri Lankan mineral deposits and started collecting specimens.  Cordial relationship maintained with all ranks of the gem trade had hoisted him to a popular buyer in the region.  This is a trade harnessed by trust and magnanimity.  Gem trade was no more a white coaler profession, he argued.  Zeyan pressed himself to learn the trade from scratch believing there is no short-cuts in gem trade.  Utilising his pocket money, he bought less expensive gem stones to pacify his growing hunger in gems.  Foundation for a lifelong career bloomed with slowly opening petals.

Once established within the country, he started exploring the global market.  He had made several visits to France, Italy and Germany to open the European market he craved for.  Hard work and perseverance made him a millionaire in five years.  By 1990 he made several business trips to USA and Europe.  He made it a point visiting Natural History Museums during most of his visits to the west.  Busy business life hasn’t bothered, but acceded with his crave for the nature.

Gemmology, trade and extensive travelling played a major role in his life negating a life of his own.  There’s no space for a woman in his life as he is married to gems, his family moaned.  The most eligible bachelor of Zeyan clan wasn’t aware of a life other than gems.  Discouraged traditional marriage brokers employed by the elders stepped back as convincing the groom wasn’t their role.  It wasn’t the match brokers, but gems which paved way for his marriage.  By knowing their superficial profiles, I assume that the passion of gems could be the cupid who shot the arrow in the end.  And that was how he met Hafsah, a gemmology student.

I knew him as a keen art collector.  Surprisingly he had diverted his attention toward miniature painting from abstracts and landscapes, which were his favourites.  It was jaw-dropping when my eyes caught the Basholi miniature paintings from India were among his rich collection.  Reproductions from Sri Lankan cave paintings lined the living room bringing the rich heritage of his country to the west.  Bewitching Sigiriya celestials looked at me from the living room as pristine pinups.  Iconic sharp primary colours which demanded attention were being substituted by tint and temperature derived colours.  “Your taste is changing constantly,’’ I commented looking at his collection of painting.  “Never deny the universal order’’ he smiled, looking at me.  “We are subjected to constant change.  Basically most of the gems were inorganic minerals and are you registering your displeasure for minerals transforming in to gems?’’  He looked at me contended after homing his point.  “Change is a part of the process governing the universe but the change should be more towards the betterment, and not the other way around.’’  Apparently minerals had changed in to gems, but he hasn’t despite being a dad to four kids. 

Picturesque and cosmopolitan British Columbia had stamped a full stop to the once habitual globe trotter sat facing me.  Our conversation revealed previously unknown facets in Zeyan’s life.  A committed nature lover hidden within him emerged slowly when our conversation trend towards his busy life style.  Some of the prestigious Natural History Museums enjoyed his donations were his Project Stakeholders in educating the world of gems and minerals.  That includes the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.  His personnel collection of gems and minerals took me to a world I have never been before.  “How could you part out of your priceless gems and minerals effortlessly ‘’I asked.  “Educating the world is a priceless commitment’’ he said.  In that context he has found it wasn’t hard donating some of his gems and minerals to a worthy cause.  “Enjoyment I reap when watched people viewing my gems displayed in various museums was an invaluable experience. ‘’ he said in a contended voice.

According to him the sublime reason behind nature conservation is protecting the planet earth for the future generation.  He sees a similarity in his donations and the aforesaid.  Natural History Museums are the forerunners promoting the above conception and he got no hesitation donating his gems and minerals to establishments of such nature.  “Conserve the Planet Earth and it will conserve us in return’’ is what he believes.  He hasn’t stopped but desires enriching the existing collections of other Natural History Museums to keep his dream alive.  

He humbly believes the wealth he accumulated were from the earth.  A fare share of our wealth should find its way back to the earth as reimbursement, he commented.  Zeyan had recently floated his charity providing infrastructure to less `privileged students to pursue their educational objectives.  Education will one day harmonise the global cleavage, he predicted.

“After a certain point, money is meaningless.  It ceases to be the goal.  The game is what counts’’ quoted Aristotle Onassis.  For Zeyan, it is the reimbursement to the earth, for what he amassed from the earth by toiling.  So his recoupment is fulfilled. 

Agni Mishra