A laborer from central India, burdened by debt, has described how his family’s fortunes have been transformed after discovering a 19.22-carat diamond worth nearly $100,000.
Raju Gond, typically earning around $4 per day doing odd jobs to support his large family in Madhya Pradesh, recounted his unexpected windfall. Alongside his brother Rakesh, he occasionally pays $9.50 daily to search for gold on a small plot of government land. It was during one such venture that Raju stumbled upon the valuable gemstone. Overwhelmed with joy, he recounted how the diamond sparkled brilliantly as he cleaned off the dirt.
“After cleaning the dirt, the stone shone brighter and brighter. It shone spectacularly; I knew it was a diamond right then!” said Gond in an interview with CNN from his home in Panna district.
Excitedly, Raju and Rakesh rushed home on their bike to share the news with their family, then took their mother to the local Panna Diamond Office for evaluation. Anupam Singh, the official diamond examiner, confirmed the find: “This is a white diamond of 19.22 carats,” he told CNN, valuing it at approximately $95,500.
Singh highlighted that Panna is renowned for its rich diamond reserves, noting previous significant discoveries. The Gond brothers’ fortunate find came after monsoon rains had washed away many work opportunities, prompting them to seek diamonds.
Under government supervision, families lease shallow mines for diamond prospecting, paying a small fee and a percentage of any find as royalty. The Panna Diamond Office will accumulate inventory until it exceeds $360,000 in value for auction, from which Raju Gond will receive his share.
Anticipating the windfall, Raju has opened a bank account and plans to settle a $6,000 debt first. “Our lives have changed forever,” he said, outlining further plans to invest in education for all his children, build homes, purchase land, and possibly a tractor.
Reflecting on his childhood, Raju recalled stories of others finding diamonds and transforming their families’ futures. Now, he has a story of his own to tell. On the day after his discovery, Raju and Rakesh were back at the mine, eager to find more diamonds.
“We woke up early and got out again. We are already in the shallow mine. We will find more diamonds!”
