Khoya Hua Noor: Should the Kohinoor Come Back Home?
-by Garima Jain The British were infamous for impoverishing their colonies, disregarding the social development of the country and robbing them of their relics which have made their way to the British Museum, away from their countries of origin. Recently however, Keith Vaz, a Member of British Parliament of Indian origin, has requested the government to return the world famous Kohinoor diamond to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country in November. Owing to India’s rich history and relations with the Middle East, the real home of Kohinoor remains a debatable issue. When Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal Empire, the Kohinoor was included in his loot and taken all the way to Persia where it was given the name it is known as today: Koh-i-noor, or Mountain of Light. Upon Nadir Shah’s assassination the diamond found its way to his general who passed it on to his descendant, Shah Shuja Durrani. Shah Shuja Durrani gave the Kohinoor to Maharaja ...