This gem is one of the most valuable diamonds discovered in the region in recent years, where part-time miners frequently rent small plots of land and use basic tools to search for rough gems.

Raju Gound, a 40-year-old father of seven, has been participating in informal mining for the past decade. Typically earning just $4 a day through fieldwork or driving a tractor, Gound's financial struggles have been significant. While sifting through stones, he noticed something that initially appeared to be a piece of glass. "I held it up to my eyes and saw a faint glint. That's when I knew I had found a diamond," he recounted to a BBC reporter.

This discovery offers a lifeline for Gound, who plans to use the proceeds from the diamond to pay off his $6,000 debts, fund his children's education, and share the remaining amount among the 19 relatives who live with him.

The valuable gem will be auctioned alongside other diamonds found by informal miners in the state, highlighting the occasional but significant rewards of this labor-intensive search for hidden treasures.