Crowds honour jeweller with 'heart of gold'

Rajinder Verma, seen here in 1976 after he moved to England, used his first savings to buy gold

Hundreds of people gathered to attend the funeral of a jeweller known for his craftsmanship and contributions to the jewellery trade.

Rajinder Verma, who ran Laxmi Jewellers in Wednesbury Road, Walsall, died recently at the age of 71.

Funeral director and family friend Meera Bhanot described him as a real community gem and a legendary man "with a heart of gold".

Ceremonies were held in Walsall and Birmingham on Sunday and a cremation service took place in Wolverhampton.

Mr Verma came from a family that had worked in the jewellery trade for generations

Ms Bhanot said members of the jewellery industry, community leaders and countless individuals whose lives he touched were at his funeral and more than 1,500 people attended.

She said Mr Verma’s came from a family that had worked in the jewellery trade for generations before they came to the UK.

He arrived in England and bought some gold with his first savings, which was how he started his business, and went on to embody values of dedication and service, she said.

Ms Bhanot said more than 1,500 people attended the funeral

His family said he moved from India to the UK in 1976, from a village six miles from Jalandhar, in the Punjab, where he lived a very humble life.

“He helped jewellers all over the country,” Ms Bhanot said. “He would lend them gold out of trust to help them open their own premises and all paid him back.

“He never expected anything in return.”

She said he helped many people in the community, because he always wanted “betterment for everybody”, and his passing had left a deep void.

Members of the jewellery industry, community leaders and others attended the funeral

Childhood friend Daljit Sharma said: "We were from the same village in India.

"My best memory is playing football with him, fighting, hugging, laughing and joking with each other. He was like my brother.

"I miss him. He was larger than life."

Mr Verma became a very successful businessman, he said, adding: "Most of these people here - they're all business colleagues, all business people. He was an extremely successful businessman and very loyal, very honest. He deserved all the love he's getting here."

Describing Mr Verma as a “car fanatic”, Ms Bhanot said they arranged for a new Bentley to take him on his final journey.

Media screens were put up so people could watch with so many people expected.