Pankaj Parakh, a well-known businessman and politician hailing from Maharashtra, made headlines in 2016 when he earned a place in the Guinness World Records. Fondly known as ‘the man with the golden shirt’ by his friends, Parakh achieved this feat by owning the “most expensive gold shirt in the world” according to the GWR, costing a staggering Rs 98,35,099 ($161,354/£ 95,856) as of August 1, 2014.
The 47-year-old Parakh, expressing his disbelief and joy, shared, “This is simply unbelievable. I am a small man from a remote area in Maharashtra. I am happy that this achievement had catapulted my village name into the whole world.”
From humble beginnings, Parakh had dropped out of school after the 8th grade to enter the family’s garments business in Yeola. Over the years, he branched out, and by 1982, he had established an independent business. His success led him to enter politics, eventually becoming the Nationalist Congress Party’s Deputy Mayor of Yeola town, located around 260km from Mumbai.
The golden shirt, weighing 4.10kg, is now valued at over Rs 1.30 crore and is part of Parakh’s opulent collection that includes a gold watch, numerous gold chains, large gold rings, a gold mobile cover, and golden-framed spectacles, adding up to a weight of 10kg. Parakh’s golden attire, coupled with his discreetly worn licensed revolver, earns him curious stares from women and glares from men, all while being safely managed by his two stern private security guards.
“When I stitched this special gold shirt with seven golden buttons for my 45th birthday in 2014, I had stitched it with fascination since my school days,” Parakh smiled. The shirt, designed by Bafna Jewellers in Nashik and crafted by Shanti Jewellers in Mumbai, took a team of 20 select artisans 3,200 hours over two months to complete. To avoid any unwanted attention, the entire transaction was fully billed.
Despite its golden exterior, the shirt remains fully flexible, comfortable, and harmless to the body, with a thin cloth lining the inside to avoid rubbing or chapping. It is also washable and comes with a lifetime guarantee, making it a unique addition to Parakh’s collection.
Despite his extravagant lifestyle, Parakh remains grounded and caring, deeply engaged in giving back to society.