Britain's prestigious Oxford University has agreed to return a 500-year-old bronze statue of a saint stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu to India.
A statement issued by the University's Ashmolean Museum said that on March 11, 2024, the Council of Oxford University supported the Indian High Commission's claim to return the 16th-century bronze statue of Saint Tirumankai Alvar from the Ashmolean Museum. The decision will now be sent to the Charity Commission for approval.
The 60 cm high statue of Saint Tirumankai Alvar was acquired by the Ashmolean Museum of the University of Oxford from Sotheby's auction house in 1967 from the collection of a collector named Dr. J.R. Belmont (1886-1981).
The museum says that in November last year, an independent researcher informed it about the origin of this ancient statue, after which it informed the Indian High Commission about it.
The Indian government has made a formal request for the bronze statue, which is believed to have been stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu and ended up in a UK museum through auction.
The museum, which houses some of the world's most famous art and archeological artifacts, says it acquired the statue in 1967 in "good faith".
There have been several instances of Indian artifacts stolen from the UK being restored to India, the most recent being in August last year when a limestone carved statue from Andhra Pradesh and a 17th-century "Navaneet Krishna" bronze statue from Tamil Nadu were handed over to the Indian High Commissioner in the UK following a joint investigation by Scotland Yard's art and antiquities unit.
Today is the second day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Gujarat visit. He inaugurated and laid
Are you also experiencing trouble using Instagram? If so, let us tell you that Meta's Instagram i
'Not a shock but a mixed effect', India's reaction to Trump's 26 percent tariff
The Commerce Ministry is analyzing the impact of the 26 percent reciprocal tariff or import duty
Will Rajpal Yadav get bail or face jail time in the 9 crore cheque bounce case? Hearing today
Bollywood stars Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, filmmaker David Dhawan, and his actor-son Varun Dhawan,
Indian Test team captain Shubman Gill has termed the strategy of deliberately wasting time by Eng
A total of 16 contestants entered the controversial reality show Bigg Boss Season 19, including s
Kannada's 'Rocking Star' Yash, who made history at the box office with the success of KGF and KGF
If you're thinking of buying gold or silver, this news might surprise you. Gold and silver prices
Amidst the ongoing tensions in West Asia, the Government of India has assured the public and the
In the game of cricket, fans just wait for the day when the teams of India and Pakistan (India Vs
