Editor,
The British got a five-year-old Indian prince to gift the Kohinoor diamond to them. Hence, it’s no longer morally defensible for the UK to hold on to this loot. The honourable thing to do is to return it from where they took it – India.
The Kohinoor was mined in India and was one of the largest diamonds ever mined. After changing hands among various kings in India for centuries, it found its way to the legendary Ranjit Singh, who ruled Punjab. The British conquered Punjab after his death in 1849 and installed his five-year-old son Daleep Singh as the king under the regency of the British. Later, they got this child to gift the diamond to them. They also moved Daleep Singh to England, converted him to Christianity and did not allow him to meet his mother or any other Indian relative, so that he wouldn’t be aware of his heritage.
After Queen Victoria’s death, the Kohinoor was set in the crown of Queen Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII, and that was used to crown her at their coronation in 1902. The diamond was then transferred to Queen Mary’s crown in 1911, and then to the queen mother’s crown in 1937. The Kohinoor diamond was also worn by Queen Elizabeth-II during her reign as the monarch of England. The Kohinoor diamond is now part of the British monarch. It is currently on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, seen by millions of visitors every day.
With King Charles-III succeeding to the throne after his mother’s death (Queen Elizabeth-II) on 8 August, the 105-carat diamond, which is steeped in history, will go to his wife, the duchess of Cornwall Camilla, who has now become queen consort. Hence, we Indians would like King Charles-III to return the Kohinoor diamond to its rightful owner, ie, India.
Jubel D’Cruz,
Mumbai