A Hupari legacy, polished for the modern hand.
Hupari, a small town near Kolhapur, has shaped India's silver tradition for generations. GDR Silver is part of that story.
Our atelier is built around the patient craft of the Hupari silversmith — a discipline of measured taps, hand-set motifs and the quiet attention that turns metal into heirloom. Every anklet, payal and pendant we make passes through that same set of hands.
We work in three distinct languages: Modern — clean lines and restrained form; Classic — the timeless silver vocabulary worn across Maharashtra; and Traditional — the heavier, more ornamental bridal pieces our region is known for.
What ties them together is the silver itself: hallmarked, honest, and made to last beyond the season.
Shri. Baburao Ganpati RanadiveVersatile young silver entrepreneur · Builder of the GDR brand
The GDR name is a tribute — drawn from the initials of Ganapati Dattatray Ranadive, the founder's father, whose small silver workshop laid the foundation of everything we make today. From that modest beginning in Hupari, the second generation has built GDR into a brand recognised across Mathura, Rajkot, Agra, Salem and silver markets throughout India.
Ganpati Aaba, the founder's father, left his village Vandur in Kagal taluka at the age of sixteen in 1958 and walked into Hupari in search of work. He apprenticed under Shri. Neminath Balwant Walvekar and later Shri. Balasaheb Mali, learning the discipline of silver — chain-making, hand-stoking, joining and the patient bookkeeping of a small craft business. In 1982 he secured a Bank of India loan and opened his own workshop, determined that his sons would grow up as silversmiths in their own right.
Baburao Ranadive stepped into the trade at the age of twelve, helping his father after school. Sharp at studies and sharper at the workbench, he eventually paused his formal education after the 12th standard to support the family business full-time. In 1988–89 he started a travelling silver business — covering 300 to 400 kilometres by ST bus and two-wheeler, carrying GDR silver from village markets to large cities, and building lasting customer relationships that hold to this day.
During the well-known dhadi (silver waste) producers' agitation more than a decade ago, Baburao took a public stand — voluntarily increasing waste-margin payments to producers — and helped break a long stalemate in the trade. That same instinct for fairness shapes how GDR works with artisans, suppliers and customers today: hallmarked quality, honest weight, transparent dealing.
Beyond silver, Baburao is a keen sportsman — cricket, badminton and chess — and a known cricket commentator and event compère in Kolhapur. Through Rotary Club he has organised district-level tournaments, and he won the District 3170 chess championship in 2014–15. He also actively manages the family's farmland, having converted dry khadkaal land into productive irrigated farm.
Today the GDR family business is carried forward together with his elder brother Subhash and younger brother Chote Nana, with strong support from his wife Smt. Indubai and mother Smt. Nirmala. The next generation is already in: elder son Niranjan (BBA) handling the silver business, daughter Nivedita (MBA) contributing to operations, and youngest son Nikhil currently pursuing his B.Com.
"Quality, integrity, honesty, customer trust, fair service and a distinct identity — that is what sets GDR apart."
Six decades, one silver line.
A patient timeline — apprentice to atelier, one careful tap at a time.
- 1958— The Arrival
Sixteen, walking into Hupari
Ganpati Aaba leaves his village Vandur in Kagal taluka and walks into Hupari in search of work — apprentice to silver.
- 1965— Foundation
A family begins
Ganpati Aaba marries Smt. Indu, daughter of Shri. Ramchandra Narke — the first hearth of the Ranadive home.
- 1982— Own Workshop
The first GDR forge
Bank of India loan in hand, Ganpati Aaba opens his own silver workshop — the seed of the GDR brand.
- 1988— On The Road
Travelling silver, 400 km at a time
Baburao launches a travelling silver business — ST bus, two-wheeler, village to city, customer by customer.
- 1990s— Stand For Craft
Breaking the dhadi stalemate
Baburao publicly raises waste-margin payments to producers, ending a long agitation in the Hupari silver trade.
- 2014— Beyond Silver
District 3170 chess champion
Rotary District 3170 chess title — one of many sport, civic and cultural roles Baburao quietly carries.
- Today— Next Generation
GDR across India
GDR jewellery is sold from Mathura, Agra and Rajkot to Salem — second and third generation now at the workbench.
The Studio
Visit our showroom in Hupari to see the full collection in person. Our team is happy to walk you through pieces, weights and custom commissions.