A labourer found a 19.22-carat diamond in a mine in Madhya Pradesh's Panna district on Wednesday which could fetch about ? 80 lakh or more at the government auction, officials said.

Raju Gaud said when he set out in the morning to dig mud and sift through it, a daily routine in monsoon months for the past ten years, he hadn't imagined he would strike a fortune.

“I hope the amount earned (after the auction) will reduce my financial hardships and take care of my children's education,” Mr Gaud said.

The labourer said he exulted after finding the precious stone in a leased mine at Krishna Kalyanpur and promptly deposited it with the government authorities.

The gem-quality diamond will be put for sale in the next auction, said Anupam Singh, an official from the Panna diamond office.

District Collector Suresh Kumar said the 19.22-carat diamond Mr Gaud uncovered in a shallow mine could fetch ? 80 lakh or more in the auction. The gemstone would be put up for open bidding at the next diamond auction, the collector said.

Gaud said he drove a tractor earlier and his family earned a livelihood from labour work.

He has been taking small mines on lease during the rains for the past ten years in the hope of getting lucky someday.

Gaud said he took the mine, where he found the diamond, on lease about two months ago. “I have deposited it at the Government Diamond Office. I'll spend the money on my children's education and buy farmland,” he said.

Officials said the raw diamond would be auctioned and the proceeds would be given to the labourer after deducting government royalty and taxes.