Son of a jewelry store owner and school dropout, Joy Alukkas went to the Middle East to open the family's first overseas store in 1987 in Abu Dhabi. He broke off to launch his own Joyalukkas brand, which now has 100 outlets spread across India and 60 overseas. His other interests include a money exchange outfit, malls, and real estate. Alukkas' son, John Paul, is the managing director of the international jewelry business. Alukkas decided to postpone the public listing of the jewelry business, citing a tepid IPO market.