Surat Diamond Ganesha Gets PM Modi Birthday Tribute

SURAT : Surat’s diamond industry has marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday with an extraordinary offering—a Maha Aarti for a naturally Ganesha-shaped rough diamond valued by its owner at more than ₹1,000 crore, with businessman Kanu Asodariya planning to send its photograph to the Prime Minister as a goodwill gift.

Asodariya, a Surat-based diamond industrialist and collector of rare stones, performed the special prayer for the ‘Karam Ganesha’, a 182.53-carat natural rough diamond whose shape resembles Lord Ganesha. Recent reports have confirmed that Asodariya possesses three naturally Ganesha-shaped rough diamonds weighing 182.53, 26.53 and 8.01 carats respectively.

According to Asodariya, the largest stone weighs around 36.5 grams and was discovered after he purchased a consignment of rough diamonds from Belgium in 2002. The diamond has since been worshipped by his family.

“We intend to send a goodwill gift to the Prime Minister,” Asodariya said, expressing the wish that Modi continues to bring greater global recognition to India.

The businessman also hopes the Prime Minister will visit Surat and see the rare diamond personally. He said a similar photograph has previously been presented to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The ‘Karam Ganesha’ has also attracted international attention. A World Book of Records publication previously described the 182.53-carat natural diamond as resembling Lord Ganesha, citing its eyes, ears, trunk and legs.

Asodariya’s collection includes two other Ganesha-shaped stones—‘Dhyanastha’, weighing 26.53 carats, and ‘Shubham’, weighing 8.01 carats. Recent reporting has also highlighted the security arrangements surrounding his collection, including multiple layers of CCTV surveillance and restricted darshan because of the stones’ high value.

The diamonds are brought out for worship during Ganesh festivities and otherwise kept under tight security.

Asodariya has also sent framed photographs of the unique diamond Ganesha to around 30 prominent personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Nitin Gadkari, Baba Ramdev and Amit Shah.

While the owner estimates the international value of the largest stone at between ₹1,000 crore and ₹2,200 crore, the extraordinary value attached to the diamond comes not merely from its size but from its naturally occurring Ganesha-like form.

For Surat, where diamonds are a way of life, the Karam Ganesha has emerged as a rare intersection of faith, nature and the city’s globally recognised diamond trade.