The ghost of the issue of who owns the >Kohinoor has again come to haunt us. It is undeniably a graceless act to demand its return after so much time has passed. One should realise that Indians have received a more valuable gift from the British in the form of the English language. English has opened and introduced us to many benefits in the form of an ocean of knowledge. Compared to this, the value of Kohinoor is just nothing.
B.S. Jayaraman,
Coimbatore
I have personally seen how antiquities are meticulously preserved in western museums. In the British Museum for example, artefacts are arranged country-wise to enable greater learning considering that the British once controlled about 30 per cent of the world’s geographical mass. The Kohinoor may not be at the museum but I am sure that it is being given the same care and attention, especially as it is a part of the royal collection. Rather than claim sole responsibility of being the stone’s caretaker, India should come to an understanding with the U.K. about a sharing of knowledge that comes with having these artefacts.
Praveen Kumar,
New Delhi
Does a mere diamond compare in value with colonial looting of the subcontinent? Bringing back the diamond will not alter our status as an emerging economy. If we harp on inconsequential issues such as the Kohinoor, with the Centre and the judiciary investing precious working time and intellectual capital on it, we will be hampering our efforts to becoming a developed economy. National pride has meaning when we reflect on our achievements and give wing to the aspirations of Indian youth. This will be immeasurably more valuable than the Kohinoor is.
Sundar K. Patnaik,
Visakhapatnam
