Two friends mine 15.34-carat Panna diamond worth Rs5 million

In a stroke of extraordinary fortune, two young men from Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district have unearthed a large gem-quality diamond, weighing 15.34 carats and estimated to be worth around Rs5 million

The men — 24-year-old Satish Khatik and 23-year-old Sajid Mohammad — had leased a small mining plot in the Krishna Kalyanpur area just 20 days prior. Their modest livelihoods — one runs a small meat shop, the other works at a fruit stall — stood in sharp contrast to their sudden discovery.

Officials from the district’s diamond office confirmed the authenticity of the stone and said it has now been deposited for auction, according to an NDTV report. If sold at the expected valuation, the windfall could significantly change the pair’s financial outlook.

This find adds to a string of diamond recoveries from Panna in recent years, underlining the continuing possibility for valuable finds even by small-scale miners. For instance, just last month, a woman labourer in the same district unearthed multiple diamonds in a leased plot, which she submitted to the official auction system.

Panna’s diamond belt remains one of the few regions in India where individual miners can legally lease plots under state regulations. All discovered gems are required to be deposited with the district diamond office, which then organizes auctions; after royalties and taxes, the remainder goes to the finder.

For Satish and Sajid, the discovery arrives at a critical time: with wedding expenses looming for their sisters, the proceeds from this gem could ease heavy financial burdens.