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[00:00.16]The Indian government has launched an effort
[00:03.04]to recover a priceless diamond from Britain.
[00:06.80]The Koh-i-Noor diamond was given to Britain's Queen Victoria
[00:11.60]as a present in 1850, when India was a British colony.
[00:18.12]The diamond is now kept as part of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
[00:23.92]Ownership of the Koh-i-Noor was the subject of a hearing this week
[00:28.76]in India's highest court.
[00:31.42]Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the Supreme Court Monday
[00:37.22]that the diamond belonged to Great Britain.
[00:40.48]"It was given to the British as compensation for help in the Sikh Wars," he said.
[00:46.32]"The Koh-i-Noor is not a stolen object."
[00:50.80]His comments shocked many Indians.
[00:54.24]In a written statement, India's Ministry of Culture said
[00:58.36]the government does not agree with Kumar's position.
[01:02.68]The statement said the government would like to bring back the diamond
[01:06.48]in what it called "an amicable manner."
[01:10.36]Media reports say India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan
[01:16.48]have each tried to claim ownership of the Koh-i-noor.
[01:20.68]In recent years, the four nations have demanded its return from Britain.
[01:26.76]The mother of Queen Elizabeth II
[01:29.28]wore the diamond in her crown prior to her death in 2002.
[01:34.88]The name Koh-i-Noor means "Mountain of Light" in Persian.
[01:39.56]Several media sources reported the diamond to be worth as much as $200 million.
[01:46.24]I'm Anna Matteo.
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