Lok Sabha Question No. 3053 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-31
Subject: Repatriation of Artefacts
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: NALIN KUMAR KATEEL, DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.3053 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.12.2018.

## REPATRIATION OF ARTEFACTS

## 3053. SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL : SHRI D. K. SURESH  :

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is  true  that  there  is  a  long  history  of  Indian  antique  objects  finding their  way  into  international  museums  and  private  collections,  but  only  a  few have made it back and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has any data about the number of antiquities which are being currently exhibited in museums across the world;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the Government has taken any measures to bring the said artefacts of Indian origin to our country; and
- (e) if so, the details of the artefacts identified  and actually brought back during the last three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) The antiquities taken away from India during the British Period and displayed in the International Museums does not come under the purview of illegal export. The  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  is  constantly  making  its  best  efforts  to retrieve the antiquities which have been taken away from the country in violation of the Antiquates and Art Treasure Act, 1972. Efforts are made to retrieve such antiquities as and when surfaced in foreign countries.
- (b) & No data of antiquities currently exhibited in the Museums across the world is available with the ASI.

(c)

- (d) & The Archaeological Survey of India constantly making its best efforts  through Indian Missions abroad for retrieval of illegally exported antiquities. The details of  the  antiquities  retrieved  from  foreign  countries  from  2015-2017  and  current
- (e) year up to December, 2018 is annexed at Annexure I.

## ANNEXURE I

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d) & (e)  OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3053 FOR 31. 12. 2018

## Retrieved Indian Antiquities from Abroad from 2015 to 2018

|   S.No. | Name                                       | State                        | From      |   Year | Mode of retrieval    | Under the custody                         |
|---------|--------------------------------------------|------------------------------|-----------|--------|----------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Parrot Lady                                | Madhya Pradesh               | Canada    |   2015 | Voluntarily returned | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       2 | Durga (Mahishmardini)                      | J&K                          | Germany   |   2015 | Voluntarily returned | SPS Museum Sri Nagar, J&K                 |
|       3 | Uma Parameshwari                           | Tamil Nadu                   | Singapore |   2015 | Voluntarily returned | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|       4 | Bronze image of Saint Manikkavachaka       | Tamil Nadu                   | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|       5 | Metal image of Ganesha                     | Tamil Nadu                   | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|       6 | Terracotta Female Figure (Honolulu Museum) | Mauryan period Central India | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       7 | Male Deity (Honolulu Museum)               | Madhya Pradesh               | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       8 | Floral Tile, Harvan                        | Kashmir                      | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       9 | Sri Devi, Chola Period                     | Tamil Nadu                   | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|      10 | Metal image of Bahubali                    | Andhra Pradesh               | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | PMO                                       |
|      11 | Metal image of Parvati                     | Tamil Nadu                   | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|      12 | Terracotta Plaque                          | West Bengal                  | USA       |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|      13 | Metal image of Bhoodevi                    | Tamil Nadu                   | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | Idol Wing Tamil Nadu                      |
|      14 | Metal image of Chakkarathalwar             | Tamil Nadu                   | U.S.A     |   2016 | Voluntarily returned | Idol Wing Tamil Nadu                      |

|   15. | Seated Buddha                                                                       | Mathura region, Uttar Pradesh   | Australia      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned   | National Muséum New Delhi                 |
|-------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------|--------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|    16 | Panel of Devotees of Buddha                                                         | Andhra Pradesh                  | Australia      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned   | National Museum New Delhi                 |
|    17 | Stone image Pratyangira                                                             | Tamil Nadu                      | Australia      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned   | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|    18 | Sand Stone Male Figure in Tribhanga Posture                                         | Central India                   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    19 | Sand Stone Bust of a Female                                                         | Central India                   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    20 | Sand Stone broken Figure                                                            | Central India                   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N.              |
|    21 | Stone image of Durga                                                                | Tamil Nadu                      | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | Delhi CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi  |
|    22 | Damaged Sand Stone image of Nataraja in dancing posture.                            | Central India                   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    23 | Mutilated Sand Stone Panel depicting two male Figures (vidhyadharas).               | Central India                   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    24 | Stone image of a couple (mithuna) figure carved under a niche from Atru, Rajasthan. | Rajasthan                       | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    25 | Stone image of a couple (mithuna) Figure from Atru, Rajasthan.                      | Rajasthan                       | U.S.A.         |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    26 | Stone sculpture of Brahma and Brahamani                                             | Gujarat                         | U.K.           |   2017 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    27 | Durga Mahishasurmard ini                                                            | Uttarakhand                     | USA MET Museum |   2018 | Voluntarily returned   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|    28 | Bodhisattva Head                                                                    | Andhra Pradesh                  | USA MET Museum |   2018 | Voluntarily returned   | Nagarjunakonda Museum, Andhra Pradesh     |