Koh-I-Noor: India’s Precious Treasure
By Athina Alkini
The Koh-I-Noor (meaning ‘’the mountain of light) is the most famous diamond in the entire world due to its unique history and controversy surrounding it. Having been claimed by numerous countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, the diamond ended up in the British Crown Jewels during the middle of 1800 A.D. while on the British colonial rule in India. That is the reason why many support its return to India while others argue that it has become part of the British cultural heritage, thus part of its possession.
The first sources referring to the famous diamond date back to 3200 B.C. in Sanskrit and possibly Mesopotamian texts. It is said that the Koh-i-Noor was unearthed in the central southern area of India, originally at 191 carats but later on recut to 105.6 carats by the royal jeweler Garrad of London in 1852, to enhance its brilliance. Many legends and Hindu beliefs are attributed to the diamond.
During the Mughal rule in northern India, the Koh-i-Noor was most famously owned by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan, as it was embedded in his gemstone Peacock throne, approximately at 1640. After the Persian ruler Nadir Shah invaded Delhi in 1739, he took possession of the throne and the diamond. It passed between the hands of many rulers and kings, and while India’s power begun to grow, the British soon appeared to take advantage of that. The stone ended up to Ranjit Singh, Sikh ruler, and in 1849, on the annexation of the Punjab, the Koh-i-Noor was acquired by the British and later on placed among the crown jewels of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth accordingly.
After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, the topic of the repatriation of Koh-i-Noor in India begun to rise once more. India renewed the calls for the diamond before the coronation of King Charles III and Camilla in 2023; even though the Queen Consort decided not to include it in her coronation crown, the gem will be part of the Royal Jewel exhibition at the Tower of London that recognizes it as “a symbol of conquest’’.
The display will explore the origins of the crown jewels. Regarding the Koh-i-Noor, the stone will be accompanied by a combination of objects and projections, including an Indian armlet set with replica Koh-i-Noor, showing its dimensions before its re-cutting and a short film with a map charting the diamond’s journey.
Despite India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s diplomatic campaign to reclaim the Koh-i-noor diamond and thousands of other treasures taken by Britain during their centuries-long colonial exploits in the Indian subcontinent, Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has shown no efforts regarding its return to India, despite his own Indian heritage.

* Athina Alkini was born in Athens, Greece, in 2004. She is a Fine Arts student at the Athens School of Fine Arts. She has participated in some art exhibitions abroad and has been awarded for her artistic work. She also studied Intercultural Education, Language and Communication. Alkini deals with subjects regarding history, art and culture.
Cover photo: The Koh-i-Noor mounted in the centre of the cross on the British Crown.