Two young Panna miners strike 15.34-carat diamond in dream find
Satish and Sajid, who leased a small mining patch to overcome family hardships, discover gem valued at over Rs 50 lakh; officials say the rare find will be auctioned soon
Two young friends in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district, both weighed down by financial responsibilities and the urgent need to arrange funds for their sisters’ weddings, have stumbled upon a remarkable stroke of luck.
Barely 20 days after taking a small mining lease, 24-year-old Satish Khatik and 23-year-old Sajid Mohammad unearthed a gem-quality diamond weighing 15.34 carats, a find that seasoned miners often spend decades chasing.
Diamond officer Ravi Patel confirmed that the duo deposited the stone at the Panna Diamond Office on Monday.
“They mined a precious diamond in Krishna Kalyanpur within just 20 days of starting operations. The diamond is estimated to be worth over Rs 50 lakh,” Patel said. He added that the stone will be placed in the next official auction, where miners often receive prices higher than the government valuation depending on market demand.
Both Satish and Sajid are residents of Raniganj in Panna, a region where diamond mining is both a traditional occupation and a long-shot gamble undertaken by families hoping for a life-changing discovery.
Satish runs a small meat shop, while Sajid helps sustain his household through a modest fruit stall. For both, incomes were steady but insufficient to meet major family expenses, especially the impending weddings of their sisters.
Mining, they said, was a calculated risk. Sajid comes from a family familiar with the mines — his grandfather and father spent decades digging in the Panna belt but found only small stones. “The grandson has made history in just 20 days,” an official remarked, noting the rarity of such a large find so early in a mining cycle.
The friends said they had always agreed that any proceeds from the mine would be shared equally.
Their first priority is to ensure their sisters’ marriages can take place without financial strain. Once that responsibility is met, they plan to invest whatever remains into strengthening their small businesses, hoping to secure a more stable livelihood.
The discovery highlights the unpredictable nature of Panna’s diamond fields, where hundreds toil daily in the hope of such a transformative moment. For Satish and Sajid, the gem has brought not just sudden fortune but a measure of relief from long-standing worries — and the promise of a more secure future.