On Monday, the Consulate General of India in New York held a repatriation ceremony as the U.S. has decided to return 105 Indian antiques. According to the official readout of the Consulate, all the antiquities will soon be transported back to India.
Which antiques are coming back?
The origins of the antiques range from the 2nd century C.E. to the 19th century C.E. Geographically, all the antiques are spread across India, with 47 artefacts belonging to the eastern part of India, 27 from the Southern side of India, 22 from Central India, 6 from Northern part of India, and the remaining 3 are from the Western side of India.
Also, around 50 antiques are of religious significance belonging to Hinduism, Jainism and Islam, and the remaining 55 antiques are of cultural importance. They are made of wood, stone, terracotta, and metal.
India has recently been trying to bring back stolen Indian antiquities, which they consider “living symbols of rich Indian heritage and culture”.
Verification process by A.S.I.
When any antiques of Indian origin are located abroad, they must be verified by A.S.I. (Archaeological Survey of India) in the country where it is found or on the arrival of antiquities in India. Archaeologist experts verify the antiques based on their knowledge, iconography and wear-and-tear marks. This process is necessary to check the authenticity.
Once that process is completed, the A.S.I. decides whether the object will be returned to its original place, handed over to the state government, or displayed at a museum dedicated to repatriated antiquities in Delhi.
Illegally smuggled to the United States.
Many of these antiques were smuggled to the U.S. by Subash Kapoor and were found in museums in New York and Chicago. Kapoor himself used to run an art gallery in New York. However, Kapoor is currently serving his 10-year prison sentence after being found guilty by a court in Tamil Nadu for stealing a religious statue from a temple.
So far, the United States has returned 278 antiques to India since 2016. In fact, in 2021, the U.S. returned more than 150 Indian antiques.
This move comes just weeks after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to the U.S.A. on a state visit. During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent state visit, Washington and New Delhi agreed to work on a Cultural Property Agreement to prevent the illegal trafficking of cultural artefacts.
Cultural Property Agreement
The Indian Ministry of Culture will also sign a Cultural Property Agreement with the U.S. to return all such antiquities smuggled out of the country. India also wants to sign a similar agreement with the U.K. to return its prestigious antiques.
Meanwhile, the Indian ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, thanked the U.S.A. for cooperating in returning Indian antiques.
Also, according to Indian Consulate, this level of understanding will value the bilateral collaboration between Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies of both countries.
