Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

Shampa Sadhya wrote:

Very interesting facts I came to know about Kohinoor through this thread. After reading all the valuable informations on Kohinoor it is certain now that it belongs to India so it should be returned to India. Now, as the question has come up regarding the protection of the gem then it is really a matter to think about. It must be protected in the best possible way.

Indians are hardly known for preserving and protecting our priceless heritage, be it architecture, priceless rare idols, paintings or whatever. Once, there was a roaring trade of smuggled items that contained rare, beautiful and most exquisitely made stone and brass idols stolen from temples across the country. The thieves and smugglers all were Indians who did not give even a bit of thought that the stuff they were stealing and selling to Europeans and Americans were pride and prestige of our country. The smuggling also could not have been possible if the lawmakers and lawkeepers had been even a little more efficient than they are now. It is possibly courtesy or positive relation-building efforts undertaken by Modi that some countries have volunteered and started to return a few of our such artefacts.

http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/10/05/merkel-durga-idol_n_8243926.html

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/australian-art-gallery-to-return-2000-year-old-buddha-idol-to-india/

However, I still maintain that unless more robust and professional efforts are taken and implemented to preserve and protect such things, we should not bring them back. Because I have seen many museums in India where the conditions that are needed to preserve such rare, centuries old items are not maintained and they gradually fall prey to deterioration. I know that only the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai takes such efforts for a fact. Only those museums that are capable of maintaining such needed conditions and providing security should attempt to house such rare priceless artifacts.

I am of he same opinion...You never know what would happen to Kohinoor once its is brought here ! As long as it is in Britain it is being displayed there in the royal gallery and one is aware of its whereabouts but once here it will be shrouded in mystery and over a period of time it may vanish like important files and artifacts disappear from time to time.

In present day India fake Kohi-i-noor will be on display and the real one will be on auction at Christies. Better  it lies where it is.

the koh-i-noor diamond is a part of India history and it should be returned to India voluntarily  

According to the history, Koh- i- noor is believed to have been mined in the Kollur mine in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, during the reign of Kakatiya dynasty in the 13 th century. It was installed in a Hindu goddess as her eve.

 But David Cameroon, who is presently in India said in no certain terms that Koh- i-noor will not be returned back to India.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/02/21/koh-i-noor-diamond-not-returned-india-david-cameron-insists-pictures_n_2732342.html

Kohinoor has history attached to it and it is not easy to bring it back easily as and when India feels like it ...Of course legal angles will be tried out but whether anyone would succeed is something we have to wait and see since it involves too many red tape ..

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/11/returning-treasures-kohinoor-diamond-india-british-museum

usha manohar wrote:

Kohinoor has history attached to it and it is not easy to bring it back easily as and when India feels like it ...Of course legal angles will be tried out but whether anyone would succeed is something we have to wait and see since it involves too many red tape ..

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/11/returning-treasures-kohinoor-diamond-india-british-museum

What is in trying? Claims and leave the rest for God.

Kohinoor has to be snatched from the British as they did it from us. Niceties are not going to bring it back. Even the PM is silent on the issue. It needs a different mind set to get it back. FDI seeking Indians can not get it back.

As much as everyone would love to see the precious gem back here where it belongs, I think it should be challenged, it does seem like a very difficult task .It's surrender was one of the terms/clauses of the Treaty of Lahore . And even if India succeeds, where should it go thereafter? There would be plenty of claimants within the country itself . And as discussed earlier, who can guarantee its fate would not be something like Tagore's Nobel prize medal ??

Lopamudra wrote:

As much as everyone would love to see the precious gem back here where it belongs, I think it should be challenged, it does seem like a very difficult task .It's surrender was one of the terms/clauses of the Treaty of Lahore . And even if India succeeds, where should it go thereafter? There would be plenty of claimants within the country itself . And as discussed earlier, who can guarantee its fate would not be something like Tagore's Nobel prize medal ??

Exactly my thoughts! And as Usha too has mentioned previously that as long as it is displayed in the Royal museum in London, it is safe and everyone is aware of its whereabouts. But once it comes back to India, there will be a lot of ugly dramas regarding its claim and then the usual inefficiency involved in preserving and protecting it. It is safe where it is already present.

India will fight  tooth and nail and will not hesitate to use all its available resources at its disposal. But , it certainty is a Herculean task for India. Especially, David Cameroon's statement, the PM of Britain when he said, Koh - I - Noor will not be returned to India during Indian PM's visit to Britain.