Two Friends Discover 15.34-Carat Diamond Worth Rs 50 Lakh in Panna: Transforming Lives Through Diamond Mining in India

Panna, known as the city of diamonds, has recently witnessed another remarkable discovery that changed the lives of two young friends.

In New Delhi, two companions - Satish Khatik, 24, and Sajid Mohammad, 23 - leased a mine in Madhya Pradesh's diamond-rich Panna district with hopes of finding a precious gem. Their motivation was clear: to overcome their financial difficulties and gather funds for their sisters' weddings.

Their perseverance has paid off spectacularly with the discovery of a 15.34-carat diamond of gem quality, estimated to be worth approximately Rs 50 lakh.

"Our first priority is to get our sisters married," stated the duo, both residents of Raniganj in Panna.

Satish earns his living running a small meat shop, while Sajid works at a fruit stall. For Sajid, this success is particularly meaningful as his grandfather and father had reportedly spent decades trying to find diamonds, though with limited success.

Diamond officer Ravi Patel confirmed on Tuesday, "The two had mined a precious diamond in Krishna Kalyanpur just 20 days ago and deposited it at the Panna Diamond Office today. The diamond is estimated to be worth over Rs 50 lakh."

This valuable discovery will be included in an upcoming auction.

Panna's reputation as the "City of Diamonds" is well-earned, having transformed the fortunes of many individuals over the years.

Just last month, six farmers - Brijendra Kumar Sharma, Vinod Omre, Ramkaran Nayak, Suryabhan Singh, Gulab Singh, and Pushpendra Pathak - discovered five diamonds after leasing a small mining plot in June. These stones, three of gem quality, were valued at nearly Rs 12 lakh.

A diamond expert evaluated these stones, noting their weights as 0.74 carat, 2.29 carat, 0.77 carat, 1.08 carat, and 0.91 carat.

This year alone, more than 60 diamonds have been deposited at the Panna diamond office.

Located in the Bundelkhand region, Panna district is believed to contain diamond reserves of approximately 12 lakh carats.

The mining process in Panna is accessible to locals, with eight-metre mining plots reportedly leased for just Rs 200 annually. Diamond auctions occur quarterly, attracting traders from across the country.

The final auction price includes a 12 percent government deduction - comprising 11 percent royalty and 1 percent Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) - with the remaining amount going to those who discovered the gems.