Two childhood friends in MP discover diamond worth ₹60L
What's the story
In Madhya Pradesh's Panna, a diamond mining hub, two childhood friends made a life-changing discovery. Satish Khatik and Sajid Mohammed found a large sparkling stone on their recently leased land. The stone was later identified as a 15.34-carat gem-quality diamond by the city's official evaluator Anupam Singh. The diamond is estimated to be worth between $55,000-$66,000 (around ₹50-60 lakh) and will soon be auctioned by the government.
Economic impact
Diamond discovery brings hope to impoverished district
Panna is one of India's poorest districts, plagued by poverty and unemployment. However, it holds most of the country's diamond reserves. The government conducts quarterly auctions for diamonds, attracting bidders from across India and beyond. The auction prices are determined by the dollar rate and benchmarks set by the Rapaport report, a trusted authority on diamond market analysis.
Family legacy
Friends' families have long searched for diamonds
Khatik and Mohammed come from poor families who have been searching for diamonds for generations. Their fathers and grandfathers dug through these plots but found nothing more than "dust and slivers of quartz." The friends leased a plot out of desperation as their meager incomes couldn't keep up with rising household costs. Searching for diamonds is no easy task, but they sifted through mounds of dirt after work or whenever they got time off from their day jobs.
Official statement
District mining officer praises luck
Ravi Patel, Panna's District Mining Officer, said Khatik and Mohammed were incredibly lucky to find a gem-quality diamond so soon after leasing their plot. "It's their luck that they found a diamond of gem quality within a few weeks," he said. The friends are hopeful about the auction but aren't planning any major changes yet. They intend to use the money for their sisters' marriages first before considering other investments or moves.