‘Part of special drive…’: Union Culture minister on repatriation of antiquities

As many as 29 antiquities have been brought back to India from Australia ahead of the India-Australia virtual summit today.

Union culture minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday said that the repatriation of antiquities to India from Australia was a part of a ‘special drive’. “The antiquities, primarily sculptures and paintings, which have been brought back from Australia today are part of a special drive. We are working on it actively. Soon, we will hand over those items to respective states, their temples,” he told news agency ANI. As many as 29 antiquities have been brought backahead of the India-Australia virtual summit today.

G Kishan Reddy  (HT FILE PHOTO)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inspected the antiquities - they belong to six broad Indian categories on the themes of ‘Shiva and his disciples’, ‘worshipping Shakti’, ‘Lord Vishnu and his forms’, Jain tradition, portraits and decorative objects. These antiquities have been executed in a variety of materials from different time periods - with the earliest dating to around 9-10 century CE.

According to government sources, these materials are made of sandstone, marble, bronze, brass and paper and represent large geographical regions including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Scott Morrison are holding a second virtual India-Australia summit today. PM Modi expressed delight over setting up a mechanism for the annual summit between India and Australia. Speaking at an open session, he said that the mechanism will help prepare a structural system for regular review of our relations.

The two leaders are also set to review progress on various initiatives under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. PM Modi and Scott Morrison will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the Ukraine situation.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a release said, “The India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has maintained the momentum of an upward trajectory with both countries continuing to collaborate closely, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, in wide-ranging areas including science and technology, defence, cyber, critical and strategic materials, water resource management, as well as public administration and governance."