Bhopal:
In Panna, the legendary diamond district of Madhya Pradesh, fate has changed not once but twice in a single week—rewriting the lives of ordinary people who dared to dream in the diamond-rich soil.
A Farmer’s Miraculous Comeback
Rajendra Singh Bundela, a farmer from Khajuraho, had been paralysed for nearly eighteen months. After recovering, he returned to Panna determined to try his luck once more. With limited resources but unwavering faith, he leased a small mine at Krishna Kalyanpur Pati and began digging.
His perseverance paid off this week when he unearthed a 3.39-carat gem-quality diamond, valued at nearly ₹10 lakh. For Rajendra, the discovery was nothing short of life-altering.
Two Struggling Friends Strike a ₹50-Lakh Fortune
The second story feels straight out of cinema.
Satish Khatik and Sajid Mohammad, two friends from Raniganj, were struggling to make ends meet—one running a tiny meat shop, the other selling fruits. With financial pressure mounting and urgent need to arrange money for their sisters’ weddings, they took a leap of faith.
Pooling their savings, they leased a modest 8×8 metre mining patch in Panna, hoping for a miracle.
Amazingly, just 20 days later, the duo discovered a massive 15.34-carat gem-quality diamond, estimated to be worth around ₹50 lakh. Their once-bleak future is now filled with hope. Their first priority, they say, is funding the weddings of Sajid’s two sisters, followed by rebuilding their lives.
A Legacy Fulfilled After Generations
Sajid’s story carries an emotional layer:
His grandfather and father had spent decades mining in Panna, always hoping to strike a life-changing diamond. They never did.
But the grandson, digging the same soil, found the fortune the family had awaited for generations—and in just twenty days.
India’s Diamond City Continues to Shine
Panna is rightly known as India’s Diamond City, famous for producing a wide variety of stones—from crystal-clear whites used in fine jewellery to off-colour and cola-hued diamonds used for industrial purposes.
The mining process here is grassroots and democratic:
- Anyone can apply for a one-year mining lease by submitting Aadhaar, photographs, and a ₹200 challan.
- If a diamond is found, the miner must deposit it at the Diamond Office.
- After certification, the stone is kept safely until the next official auction.
- Once sold, the government deducts 12.5% royalty and 1% TDS, and the remaining amount is paid directly to the finder.
The newly discovered stones have already been deposited and will go under the hammer in the next auction cycle.
These two back-to-back discoveries serve as a reminder: in Panna, fortunes may be buried just inches below the surface—and when they surface, they can transform lives overnight.