The odyssey of Koh-i-Noor, the jewel India dreams of recovering

The famous 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond has adorned the crowns of the British royal family since 1853. Popperphoto via Getty Images

STORY – Indians, but also Pakistanis, Iranians, and even the Afghan Taliban want us to return this priceless diamond, which was passed from hand to hand before being confiscated by the British in 1849 from a 10-year-old maharaja in grief.

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Thursday, September 8th. It was 11pm in New Delhi when Buckingham Palace broke the news: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s team jumped on their keyboards and, fourteen minutes later, posted a tribute on Twitter: “I had unforgettable encounters with Her Majesty the Queen during my trips to the UK in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and human kindness,” said the head of government.

With 82 million subscribers, Narendra Modi is one of the most followed political leaders on social networks. But his condolences sparked a torrent of angry reactions: “He didn’t return the Koh-i-Noor to us,” annoying users. “Give us back the Koh-i-Noor”, insist on another. “Don’t call him Your Majesty. Stop respecting the looters.” a third creak. Shortly after, a businessman launched an online petition for the repatriation of this 105-carat diamond. Stoneā€¦

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Serena Hoyles

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