Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Banaras Hindu University is set to establish a cutting-edge gem testing laboratory, a pivotal development for the gem industry and consumers. This facility will enhance the identification of genuine and counterfeit gems, particularly benefiting small and medium enterprises in eastern India, where such resources are currently scarce.
A state-of-the-art laboratory for gem testing is being established at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). This marks a significant step for the industry and the public in identifying pure, genuine, and counterfeit gems. The laboratory will facilitate gem identification. The gem industry involves many small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Currently, most gem testing laboratories are located in western Indian cities such as Mumbai, Surat, and Ahmedabad. Eastern Uttar Pradesh lacks such reliable testing facilities.
The need for a modern and reliable gem testing laboratory in this part of the country has been felt for a long time. Accordingly, under the second phase of the grant received from the SATHI scheme approved by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, an advanced gem testing and research laboratory is being established at the Central Discovery Centre located at Banaras Hindu University.
Accurate identification and quality assessment of gems often involve multiple techniques. Therefore, under the SATHI scheme, with an investment of ₹3.75 crore, state-of-the-art machines are being installed in this gem testing facility. These include advanced sophisticated equipment such as FTIR Laser Raman Spectroscopy, EDXRF, Tabletop XRD, UV-Vis-NIR Spectrometer, Binoculars, Polarizing Microscope, and Laser Cutter. Each of these instruments serves different purposes for identifying various aspects of gems, such as structure, chemistry, color, and inclusions.
Prof. Anil Kumar Tripathi, Director of the Institute of Science at Banaras Hindu University and Coordinator of BHU-SATHI, stated that this is the first time such a laboratory is being established in this part of the country. He mentioned that expert professors from the departments of Geology, Chemistry, and Physics at the Institute of Science and the Mahila Mahavidyalaya, BHU, specializing in diverse fields such as mineralogy and X-ray spectroscopy, along with an external expert who previously headed the gem testing laboratory at the Geological Survey of India, will be part of a team to ensure the monitoring of the laboratory’s operations.