Kohinoor diamond will remain in Britain

Kohinoor diamond will remain in Britain

  July 30, 2010    Pradeep Padma

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British Prime Minister David Cameron ruled out the return of Kohinoor Diamond to India. India has requested several times for the return of the diamond. The British High Commission rejected the plea last month saying that that the diamond was acquired legitimately and the prospect of its repatriation was therefore non-negotiable.The demand for Kohinoor had been raised by Keith Vaza, British MP of Indian origin just before Cameron began his visit to India.


In an interview, Cameroon made it clear that the return of Kohinoor would disappoint viewers and if such demands were agreed to, it would lead to empty rooms in British Museums. The actual Kohinoor can now be seen in the Maltese Cross, in a crown made for the Queen Mother in 1937, on display at the Tower of London.


Kohinoor which means Mountain of Light, in Urdu, was mined in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It had changed many hands and was finally seized by the East India Company and presented to Queen Victoria. It became part of the British Crown Jewels when Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877.


It is believed that the gem carries with it a curse and only God or a woman can possess the diamond. The curse will not work on woman. All the men who possessed the diamond followed all its misfortunes. Queen Victoria is the only monarch who has worn the jem.The diamond is passed to the spouse, where the monarch is male.


With the support of UNESCO, The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has joined an international network to regain of the artifacts taken away during British rule, including the Kohinoor diamond and the Sultanganj Buddha.