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Two childhood friends' lives could be changed forever thanks to a remarkable discovery on a random morning in Panna.
As reported by the BBC, Satish Khatik and Sajid Mohammed found a glistening rock on a plot of land they had leased just weeks earlier.
Upon further evaluation from an official diamond expert, they learnt that they had found a 15.34-carat gem-quality diamond, one of the finest varieties of natural diamonds.
"The estimated market price of the stone is around five to six million rupees [$55,000 - $66,000], and it will be auctioned soon," Anupam Singh, the diamond evaluator, noted.
The government holds quarterly auctions, drawing buyers from across India and abroad to bid for the diamonds.
Sharing their excitement, Khatik and Muhammad said, "We can now get our sisters married."
Khatik, 24, who runs a meat shop, and Mohammed, 23, who sells fruits, come from poor backgrounds and are the youngest sons in their families.
For generations, their families have been trying their luck at finding diamonds, which is a common quest among the district's residents.
Panna, which is in Madhya Pradesh state, is among India's least developed districts, with residents facing poverty, water scarcity and unemployment.
However, the state is also home to most of India's diamond reserves and remains a prime destination for diamond hunters.
India's diamond reserves are relatively limited compared with the world's major producers, but they are historically significant.
While most mines are run by the federal government, state authorities lease small plots to locals each year at nominal rates.
