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Raju Gound, Indian Labour

Indian Labourer Raju Gound Discovers $95,000 Diamond
Amid Financial Struggles

 

Los Angeles, July 25, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

An Indian laborer's life has taken a dramatic turn after he discovered a substantial diamond in a mine in Madhya Pradesh. The 19.22-carat gem is expected to fetch approximately 8 million rupees ($95,570; £74,000) at a government auction.

Raju Gound, who has been leasing mines in Panna for over ten years, finally made a significant find. Panna is well-known for its diamond reserves, and many locals lease inexpensive, shallow mines from the government in hopes of striking it rich.

The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) manages a mechanized diamond mining project in Panna and also leases out shallow mines to individuals, families, and cooperatives using basic equipment. Any diamonds found are turned over to the government diamond office for evaluation.

“These leases cost around 200-250 rupees for a specified period,” Anupam Singh, an official from the state diamond office, told the BBC.

In 2018, another laborer from Bundelkhand discovered a diamond valued at 15 million rupees in Panna. However, such large finds are rare. Singh noted that while smaller stones are more common, Gound’s discovery stands out due to its size.

Gound shared that his father leased the mine in Krishna Kalyanpur Patti village near Panna about two months ago. The family leases mines primarily during the monsoon season when other work opportunities are scarce.

“We are very poor and have no other source of income. We lease mines in hopes of finding something valuable,” Gound said. He had heard of others finding diamonds and hoped for his own luck.

On Wednesday morning, Gound performed his daily task of searching for diamonds manually. “It’s a painstaking process. We dig pits, extract chunks of soil and rock, wash them, and sift through countless small stones to find diamonds,” he explained.
That afternoon, his effort paid off. “I saw something that looked like glass. When I noticed a faint glimmer, I realized I had found a diamond,” he said.

Gound then took the diamond to the government diamond office, where it was evaluated and weighed. Singh mentioned that the diamond will be sold in an upcoming government auction, and Gound will receive his share after the deduction of government royalties and taxes.

Gound plans to use the proceeds to build a better house, pay for his children’s education, and first settle his debt of 500,000 rupees. He intends to divide the money among 19 relatives living with him and is not concerned about the attention the discovery might attract.

For now, Gound is focused on the promise of financial relief and plans to continue searching for more diamonds at the mine.

 

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