Oxford University to return 500-year-old sculpture of Hindu saint to India

Oxford University has announced its decision to return a 500-year-old sculpture of a Hindu saint to India. 

The ancient bronze statue, standing nearly 60cm tall and depicting Tirumankai Alvar, was previously exhibited at the university's Ashmolean Museum, reports The Guardian. 

The claim for this 16th-century sculpture of the Tamil poet and saint, originating from south India, was brought forth by the Indian High Commission. There are suspicions that this bronze artwork might have been unlawfully taken from an Indian temple.

A formal statement from the Ashmolean Museum highlighted, "On 11 March 2024, the council of the University of Oxford approved the Indian high commission's request for the return of the 16th-century bronze sculpture of saint Tirumankai Alvar from the Ashmolean Museum. This decision is now pending approval from the Charity Commission."

In a separate historical context, Queen Consort Camilla chose to wear Queen Mary's crown at King Charles's coronation last May, omitting the contentious Koh-i-noor diamond. 

This famed gem, acquired by the East India Company in Punjab, northern India, following the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1849, has remained a part of the British crown jewels nestled in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.

India has persistently claimed rightful ownership of the Koh-i-noor diamond, which has been used in ceremonies such as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. 

Since India's independence from the British empire in 1947, multiple countries including Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have put forth demands for the gem's return, which symbolises a contentious chapter of colonial history.

Over 200 artefacts were looted by British colonial forces in 1897 amidst a tumultuous trade dispute, forming part of a complex legacy that continues to be debated and addressed today.