Kohinoor homecoming buzz returns to Yadgir after NY mayor’s pitch

caption: File photo of the rusty board displayed by the district administration saying Kohinoor diamond was found in Kollur M village of Yadgir district. Now this board is also not seen at the siteYadgir: A recent remark by New York mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani seeking the return of the Kohinoor diamond from Britain to India has rekindled hopes among residents of Yadgir district. Historical accounts trace the famed diamond's origins to Kollur (M) village on the banks of the Krishna river in Shahapur taluk.During the recent visit of Britain's King Charles III to New York, a meeting with mayor Mamdani was scheduled. Ahead of the meeting, Mamdani told the media that if he got an opportunity to speak privately with the King, he would urge him to return the Kohinoor diamond. However, it is not known whether the issue figured in their discussion.Umesh Mudbol, convenor of the Surpur History Research Centre, Bheemarayanagudi, told TOI that the diamond was once in the possession of the Kakatiya dynasty before passing to the Mughals and later to Sikh rulers. "In 1849, the British acquired it from 10-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh of the Sikh Empire and later presented it to Queen Victoria. We have long been demanding that the diamond be brought back to Kollur (M), but our appeals have gone unanswered. Mamdani's statement has once again revived our hopes of seeing the historic gem return," he said.History lecturer Rajgopal Vibhuti said the demand has now reached international platforms. "Though the New York mayor is not directly connected to India or Karnataka, he has raised the issue in the interest of Yadgir and Karnataka. Our agitation has gained global attention," he said.Both Mudbol and Vibhuti said there is substantial historical evidence and survey reports indicating that the Kohinoor was mined at Kollur (M). "Robert Sewell, Ballari DC in 1900, wrote in ‘A Forgotten Empire' (Vijayanagar) that the stone was found on the banks of the Krishna. The book Kohinoor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, published in 2016, also identifies Kollur in Yadgir district as its source. Governments should now intensify efforts to bring the gem back to Karnataka," they said.They added that the district administration has earmarked eight acres of land at the site where the diamond was found.Sources in the district administration said DC Harshal Narayan Rao Bhoyar and other officials will visit the site shortly. "Plans are being considered to develop the area as a monument and tourist attraction," they said.