Seven poor labourers in central India are dreaming of a fresh start after finding a 17.96-carat diamond that could fetch at least $52,400 at auction a rare stroke of luck in one of the country’s poorest diamond-producing regions.
The men discovered the large stone while working on a leased mining plot in Panna, a diamond-rich district in Madhya Pradesh.
Diamond officials described the stone as “gem quality”, one of the finest grades of natural diamond. Ravi Patel, a local diamond official, estimated that it could be worth at least 5 million rupees ($52,400; £38,800).
The discovery has brought excitement to the seven labourers, many of whom have struggled with poverty and limited job opportunities.
“We had been mining there for about two years, but we had no luck,” one of the workers, Akhilesh Pal, said.
Pal said the mine had been closed for about a year before the group returned to inspect it following heavy rains.
While checking the old mine, they noticed the stone lying on the surface.
The find is particularly significant because Panna is home to much of India’s known diamond reserves but remains one of the country’s less-developed areas, where residents face unemployment, water shortages and widespread poverty.
For many locals, diamond mining offers the hope of finding a stone valuable enough to transform their fortunes.
But those who discover diamonds do not always receive the money from their finds. Many miners work as daily-wage labourers for lease-holders, meaning valuable stones they uncover usually belong to the person who holds the mining lease.
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This case is different.
The seven men leased the mine themselves two years ago for a small fee, meaning they are expected to benefit directly from the sale.
The diamond will be auctioned in October, with buyers from India and abroad expected to take part. The government will reportedly deduct a 12% royalty from the proceeds before the remaining money is divided equally among the seven workers.
For the men, the discovery could mean far more than simply having money in the bank.
Local reports said some of them had been unable to afford marriage because of their financial circumstances.
Now, after years of digging without success, a single stone could give them the opportunity to build new lives.
In Panna, where thousands continue to hope that the next turn of a shovel might reveal something precious, the discovery has offered seven labourers a glimpse of a very different future.
