Oxford University has agreed to return a 500-year-old bronze sculpture of a Hindu poet and saint to India, as confirmed by the university’s Ashmolean Museum. The sculpture is of Tirumankai Alvar and was allegedly looted from a temple, with the Indian High Commission in the U.K. filing a claim for its return four years ago.
Vijay Kumar, co-founder of India Pride Project, expressed joy over the decision, citing delays and drama in the repatriation process. This move comes amidst a global trend of countries and communities seeking the return of cultural artifacts taken during colonial periods, such as the Benin bronzes which Oxford University also agreed to return to Nigeria two years ago.
The Charity Commission in England and Wales will need to approve the return of the Indian bronze, which was identified through photo archives showing its presence in a Tamil Nadu temple in 1957. The Ashmolean Museum, which purchased the statue in 1967, supports the return after discovering its origins.