In a remarkable turn of events, a humble laborer from Madhya Pradesh stumbled upon a life-changing discovery in the renowned Panna diamond mines. Suresh Patel, a 45-year-old agricultural worker, unearthed an impressive 20.15-carat diamond last week, potentially worth around Rs 90 lakh at the upcoming government auction.


Patel, who typically earns a meager Rs 350 per day as a farm hand or occasional tractor operator for affluent landowners, had been searching for precious stones in his spare time. He and his cousin, Ramesh, would often pool their resources to pay the daily Rs 850 fee required to mine a small 700-square-foot government-allotted plot.


"When I saw it glimmering in the dirt, my heart nearly stopped," Patel recounted, his voice filled with emotion. "After 12 years of hoping and searching, it felt like a dream come true."


Without hesitation, the cousins rushed their sparkling find to the Panna diamond office for evaluation. The official gemologist, visibly impressed, informed CNN that the diamond could fetch approximately Rs 90 lakh at auction. "This region has a history of exceptional discoveries," the gemologist explained. "We've had a 52.10-carat stone found in 1960 and a 44-carat gem in 2019. This latest find continues that legacy."


Patel described the process of obtaining mining rights, which involves submitting an application form, providing identification documents, photographs, and paying the government fee. Once a plot has been thoroughly searched, miners can apply for a new area to explore.