William Dalrymple Explains Complex History Of Diamond

Over the past week, the fabled Kohinoor diamond has been back in the news. The Indian government told the court that the diamond was “gifted” and not forcefully taken away by the British. The statement acted as a catalyst to a fervent debate on whether the precious rock should finally be brought back to India.

 

Indian Expressconsulted historian/author William Dalrymple — currently working on his forthcoming novel Kohinoor along with Anita Anand — to understand the complex history of the diamond. He spoke about the ambiguous position that the Kohinoor holds in India’s history, issues of national pride and historical consciousness that is part of the ensuing debate surrounding it.