Munnu: Vision and Passion

Munnu: Vision & Passion traces the creativity and vivacity of the late Munnu Kasliwal. Kasliwal’s magical designs put The Gem Palace, his family’s jewelry house, and India on the fashion map of the jewelry world.

The book follows the design journey of Munnu Kasliwal of The Gem Palace Jaipur, a jewelry house synonymous with luxury, sophisticated style, striking statement pieces, and exquisite craftsmanship. Munnu: Vision & Passion chronicles the metamorphosis of The Gem Palace from a local jewelry firm to an international jewelry house, an evolution synchronous with Munnu’s life. From the creation of the ‘T-shirt’ necklace to dreaming up settings that fused gemstone and metal in unique ways, Munnu produced a new genre of jewels that bridged the historical past with an uber-stylish present.

While Munnu loved and admired traditional Indian opulence and grandeur, he brought a unique vision and passion, a rare sensibility and elegance to all his designs, establishing his unique style. To Munnu, a piece of jewelry was a beautiful creation, to be liberated from the confines of the conventional. Published as a tribute to Munnu, this book documents his design journey for more than two decades.

Dr. Usha R Balakrishnan is a jewelry history, curator and cultural capital consultant based in Mumbai. She is a highly regarded independent scholar of Indian art and culture and the pre-eminent historian of Indian jewelry. She is the Chief Curator of the World Diamond Museum.