Shaankar Sen, chairman and managing director of Senco Gold and Diamond, passed away on Tuesday morning.

Senco Gold and Diamonds in a statement said that Sen, 63, has been instrumental in putting the brand on the national map. From owning three jewellery stores in Calcutta, which he inherited from his father in the early 1990s, he expanded to more than 100 stores across the country covering 14 states.

“Today his soul departed for its heavenly abode. He was one of the founding members of GJC and was a prominent personality in the gems and jewellery industry,” said N. Anantha Padmanaban, chairman, GJC.

“He very actively chaired the National Expert Committee on Jewellery & Lifestyle in the Indian Chamber of Commerce for the past three years and led many successful endeavours in the jewellery space,” the Indian Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.