New Delhi, 13 May (H.S.):

Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Wednesday that India’s ancient and historically significant sculptures are not merely art objects but living symbols of the uninterrupted continuity of our civilization spanning millennia. Shekhawat made the remarks at a press conference held at the National Museum in Delhi to mark the successful return of the nation’s invaluable and missing cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture.

He described the repatriation as a major step toward reclaiming India’s heritage. Sharing key achievements in the recovery of India’s cultural patrimony, he stated that a total of 666 antiquities have been brought back to India under the “Heritage Protection” campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Notably, 653 of these items were repatriated after 2014, whereas only 13 antiquities were recovered between 1972 and 2014.

“We are committed to bringing these living symbols of our civilization back home,” the minister said. He added that the Government of India will, through diplomatic efforts, retrieve every heritage item that was taken out of the country by illicit means. He further reported that U.S. agencies have seized an additional 657 artifacts and handed them over to the Indian Embassy. The Archaeological Survey of India will soon examine and assess these items for display.

The minister noted that late last night at 11 p.m. two significant sculptures arrived from the United States. These include a Somaskanda sculpture from the Chola period (12th century) and a bronze statue of Saint Surinder and Paravai from the Vijayanagara period (16th century). Eleven items have been repatriated from Australia, eight from the National Gallery of Australia and three from the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Prominent among these are a Shunga-period terracotta, a Varaha sculpture from the Pala dynasty, and an 11th-century bodhisattva figure. He said the India–U.S. Cultural Property Exchange Agreement has accelerated this process.

Shekhawat also disclosed that the renowned Smithsonian Institution in the United States has returned three highly important bronze sculptures linked to temples in Tamil Nadu. The Tanjore temple’s Shiva Nataraja had been loaned to the United States for exhibition at the Smithsonian on a three-year short-term loan at the institution’s request; it is currently on display as part of the “Art of Knowledge in South Asia and the Himalayas” exhibition. In addition, he described the return of relics of Lord Buddha after 127 years as a major achievement.

In response to a question, the minister said that a dedicated gallery has been established at the Red Fort to house the recovered antiquities, and work to enhance the gallery is ongoing. He added that, beyond the task force, all relevant stakeholders in government — enforcement agencies, Indian missions abroad, and the Ministry of Culture — are working in concert to bring these items back to the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar