The 500-year-old bronze statue stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu will be returned to India, Oxford University announced

Posted on 12th Jun 2024 12:08 pm by rohit kumar

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.

Other news

Salman Khan and Zeeshan Siddiqui again received death threats, who called this time? Made this demand

In Maharashtra, actor Salman Khan and Baba Siddiqui's son Zeeshan Siddique have again received th

'This is the responsibility of every country's government', what did Jaishankar say about Indians deported from America?

For the first time, the Indian government has officially informed about sending 104 Indians livin

Bigg Boss 19: Gauhar Khan was saddened by the thinking of singer Amaal Malik, posted in support of her brother-in-law Aavez Darbar

It has been only a few days since the reality show 'Bigg Boss 19' started, but there has been a r

India-Pakistan Ceasefire: 32 airports closed amid India-Pakistan tension reopened; operations resume

32 airports of the country which were closed due to the recent military tension between India and

Delhi Assembly Election: Kejriwal said- If the AAP government is formed then Manish Sisodia will be the deputy CM, called him his commander

Aam Aadmi Party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal addressed a public meeting in Jangpura, Delhi

UP Budget: A budget of 8 lakh 8 thousand 736 crores was presented in the House, a 9 percent growth compared to last year

The budget of the UP government was presented on Thursday. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna present

'₹2500 is a lie': 'Holi has arrived, when will the free cylinder come', AAP protested against BJP's promise.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is continuously cornering the BJP government of Delhi over giving free cyli

RBI receives bomb threat, mail in Russian language, police start investigation

The Reserve Bank of India has received a bomb threat. A threatening email came on the official we

Kalki 2898 AD: Kalki 2898 AD could not make a mark in the Hindi belt, and Prabhas could not move ahead with these films

Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani starrer film 'Kalki 28

Mhow: Violence during celebration of India's victory in Champions Trophy, houses and shops burnt; Army took over

There was a ruckus in the procession taken out after the victory of Team India in the Champions T