Jacques (Jaime) de Paiva (Pavia, Paivia), a Paradesi Jew of Madras, was a Portuguese Jewish diamond and coral merchant from Amsterdam belonging to the Amsterdam Sephardic community.
After de Paiva's death, his wife Hieronima de Paiva, also a Portuguese Jew, fell in love with Elihu Yale, Governor of Madras, and went to live with him, causing quite a scandal within Madras colonial society.
[1] De Paiva established good relations with East India Company (EIC) and those in power, which enabled him to buy several mines to source Golconda diamonds.
Through his efforts, Jews were permitted to live and trade Golconda diamonds and corals within Fort St.
[2] De Paiva died in 1687 after a visit to his mines of Golconda diamonds and was buried in the Jewish cemetery which he had established in Peddanaickenpet, which later became the north Mint Street,[2] alongside the synagogue which also existed at Mint Street.