Photos : Indian Businessman Flaunts 4kg Shirt Made Completing From Pure Gold And Needs Bodyguards Whenever He Wears It

An Indian textile businessman who made a fortune from his clothing empire is making sure the rest of the world knows about his success - by having a shirt made out of pure gold.

To celebrate his upcoming 45th birthday tomorrow Friday, he has commissioned a solid gold shirt that weighs more than four kilos.

Although he left school without any qualifications Pankaj Parakh created a multi-million pound textile business in India.

He said: 'I wanted to wear something special when I say my thanks for my success at a thanksgiving visit to the Siddhivinayak Temple of the Hindu elephant god in Mumbai.'

And after paying just £127,000 to buy the gold and have it turned into a golden shirt, he thinks he got a good deal. 

According to local media the gold shirt has really got him noticed as he marched along the streets of his home in Yeola, 260 km from the city of Mumbai.

He says he gets both admiring looks from women and envious looks from men.

He said: 'I never go out with less than two to three kilos of gold jewellery. 

'I have always been fascinated with gold since I was five-years-old and studying in school. And over the years that interest has become a real passion. So it was logical that I would want to make my 45th birthday a golden affair.

'In fact even on my wedding 23 years ago a lot of people said it was embarrassing that I was wearing more gold than my bride, but I just love the Royal metal.'

The shirt that has seven solid gold buttons is due to be officially modelled by the clothing magnate on Friday, but he tried it on in advance after collecting it from the Shanti Jewellers at Parel in Mumbai, where a team of around 20 craftsmen collectively spent 3,200 hours over the past two months to 'stitch' it together.

The gold used in the shirt has an 18-22 carat purity, without any other metals, and he added: 'Before the taxman starts coming round, I can guarantee that every bit is properly recorded in my company accounts.'
Despite being made of gold the shirt has been so carefully made that it is as flexible as a normal shirt, he claims, and also just as comfortable because there is a thin cloth lining the inside.

He said: 'It is easily washed and can be hung up to dry just like a normal piece of clothing, and a good a lifetime guarantee with it so that if it's torn or damaged it will quickly be repaired.'

After leaving school early before graduating he had thrown all of his efforts into developing the family garments business in Yeola, a town of some 60,000.

The cost of the gold shirt is reportedly a fraction of what he has splashed out to make sure the birthday party is a spectacular affair, with hundreds of guests including Maharashtra tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and around a dozen MPs from various parties and Indian celebrities. 

 

-dailymail