Young Man in His 20s Struggling with Financial Hardship Discovers Diamond Worth 90 Million Won While Digging

According to The Financial News, two young men in their twenties discovered a diamond worth nearly 90 million won in Panna, a diamond mining region in central India. It is reported that they fulfilled the long-held wish of their families, who had searched for diamonds for decades.
On the 17th (local time), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that Satish Kartik (24) and Sajid Mohammed (23), both from Indian slums, recently found a 15.34-carat diamond on land they had leased for mining.
Kartik and Mohammed discovered the large, sparkling stone by chance on land they had leased just a few weeks earlier. They submitted the stone to a diamond appraisal center, which confirmed it was a natural diamond weighing 15.34 carats.
This diamond is said to be of the highest quality among natural diamonds. Diamond appraiser Anupam Singh stated, "The estimated market value of the diamond is about 5 to 6 million rupees (approximately 75 to 90 million won)," and added, "It will soon be put up for auction."
The two young men, who experienced this unexpected stroke of luck, expressed their joy, saying, "Now we can help our sisters get married." They added, "For now, we have no plans to expand our business or move to a big city; we want to focus on supporting our families."
The two have been friends since childhood and are known as the youngest sons of poor families. Kartik runs a butcher shop, while Mohammed makes a living selling fruit. With the recent surge in living expenses making it difficult even to afford wedding costs, they leased mining land as a last hope.
Panna is one of the least developed regions in India, facing poverty, water shortages, and high unemployment. However, it is also rich in diamond deposits, so it is common for locals to lease land and try their luck at mining. Most mines are run by the federal government, but the state government leases small plots to residents each year for a modest fee.
Residents dig in hopes of striking it rich, as jobs are scarce, but actual diamond discoveries are extremely rare. Mohammed noted, "My father and grandfather dug this land for decades, but all they ever found was dust and pieces of quartz."
Ravi Patel, a mining official in Panna, remarked, "The two discovered a gem-quality diamond just a few weeks after leasing the land on November 19," and described it as "an unbelievably lucky case."
hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter