As per reports, PM Narendra Modi-led Indian government is planning a repatriation campaign to bring back the controversial 105-carat Kohinoor diamond and other artefacts of the colonial era including idols and sculptures from museums across the UK
ASI is reportedly leading the efforts to bring back Kohinoor diamond which was taken away from the country in 1849 after it was ceded to Queen Victoria after the British annexation of Punjab
In 1937, the Kohinoor diamond was set in a crown for Queen Elizabeth, consort of King George VI, to be worn at his coronation. The platinum crown is on display at the Tower of London. Since then, Koh-i-noor which means ‘mountain of light’ in Persian has been with the UK. As per reports, the Kohinoor diamond weighs 105 carats
As per reports, Kohinoor diamond was present in the Peacock Throne during the time of Shah Jahan in Delhi. The first verifiable record of the diamond comes from history by Muhammad Kazim Marvi where he said Koh-i-Noor as being one of many stones on the Mughal Peacock Throne that Nader Shah looted from Delhi
The Kohinoor diamond was finally handed over to Queen Victoria by then 11-year-old Maharaja of the Sikh Empire Duleep Singh, who ruled under the shadow influence of the Company ally Gulab Singh, the first Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir
On 1 February 1850, the jewel was sealed in a small iron safe inside a red dispatch box, both sealed with red tape and a wax seal and kept in a chest at Bombay Treasury awaiting a steamer ship from China. It was then sent to England for presentation to Queen Victoria. Since then, Kohinoor has been a part of the jewels for the British crown
As per reports, originally, the Kohinoor diamond had 169 facets and was 4.1 centimetres (1.6 in) long, 3.26 centimetres (1.28 in) wide, and 1.62 centimetres (0.64 in) deep. Though, Late Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria got it polished
The Indian government had requested for the Kohinoor diamond to be sent back immediately after the Independence in 1947. Since then, several times the Indian government has requested for the same
During the coronation ceremony of King Charles, British Queen Consort Camilla decided not to wear the Kohinoor diamond as part of her crown. Some of the other Indian artefacts in the British museum that might be re-claimed are Amravati Marbles taken from a Buddhist stupa, Victoria and Albert Museum’s Indian collection