A 16.96-carat gem-quality diamond has been found in a mine in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district, with its estimated value put at more than ₹50 lakh. The diamond has been deposited with the government diamond office and will be included in the next auction.

The proceeds from the auction will be handed over to the mine leaseholders after deduction of applicable royalty and taxes.

Diamond Found After Rain

The diamond was found by a group of seven partners — Akhilesh Pal, Santosh Kushwaha, Sharman Pal, Arun Rawat, Hemchandra Pal, Jamuna Pal and Hiralal Kushwaha.

Akhilesh had obtained a mining lease nearly two years ago on his agricultural land. The partners had started mining activities on the site, but no diamond was found during their initial efforts.

According to the account shared by the partners, they inspected the mine on Tuesday after rainfall had washed through the mining debris. While checking the accumulated soil and rubble, they noticed a shining stone that was later identified as a gem-quality diamond.

Estimated Value Above ₹50 Lakh

Officials have confirmed that the diamond will be placed in the upcoming auction. Its government valuation has estimated its value at more than ₹50 lakh.

The discovery has brought excitement among the seven partners and their families, as all of them are engaged in agricultural labour and other daily-wage work.

The partners had renewed the mining lease earlier this year after their earlier attempt did not yield a diamond.

Money to Help With Weddings

The discovery is particularly significant for Santosh Kushwaha, Sharman Pal and Arun Rawat, who have not yet married due to financial difficulties.

The three partners said they plan to use part of the money received from the diamond auction towards their weddings.

Other partners said they would use their share of the proceeds for their children's education and construction of houses.

14 Diamonds Found in 2026

The latest discovery adds to a series of diamond finds reported from Panna this year.

According to officials, 14 diamonds have so far been deposited at the government diamond office in Panna in 2026. Together, these stones weigh 61.94 carats.

Panna is known for its diamond-bearing areas, where small-scale mining is carried out through government-issued leases.

15.34-Carat Diamond Found Earlier

On December 9, 2025, two friends, Satish Khatik, 24, and Sajid Mohammad, 23, found a 15.34-carat gem-quality diamond in a mine in the Krishna Kalyanpur Patti area.

The stone was also estimated to be worth more than ₹50 lakh. The two had jointly taken a lease for the mine and said they planned to use the proceeds from its sale to start another mining operation.

Farmer Found 3.39-Carat Diamond

A day later, on December 10, 2025, farmer Rajendra Singh Bundela found a 3.39-carat gem-quality diamond in a shallow mine in the same Krishna Kalyanpur Patti area.

The diamond was estimated to be worth around ₹10 lakh.

Rajendra, a resident of Ward 12 in Khajuraho, had reportedly taken up diamond mining after facing health and financial difficulties. He had suffered paralysis around one-and-a-half years earlier and had been unable to undertake strenuous physical work after treatment.

He said the proceeds from the diamond would help him meet his medical expenses.

₹30 Lakh Diamond Found in June

On June 29, 2026, two tribal brothers and their mining partners found an 11.19-carat gem-quality diamond in a mine at Ahirgawan in Panna district.

The diamond was estimated to be worth around ₹30 lakh. The mine had four partners — Rakesh Gaur, his elder brother Raju Adivasi, his brother-in-law Ratan Adivasi and the landowner Chhutto Sarkar.

The latest discovery has once again highlighted Panna's reputation as one of India's prominent diamond-producing regions, where mining can sometimes bring a major financial windfall to small leaseholders.