Page 50 - Mann Ki Baat - English

The Importance of Reclaiming Lost

Art and Cultural Heritage

identity and justice for India.
This priority since 2014 has
yielded rich dividends. The
policy also aligns with a global
movement for the repatriation
of cultural artefacts to those
who are its rightful inheritors.
Since 2014, hundreds of stolen
art objects or artefacts taken
away and auctioned under
Ratan P. Watal
questionable circumstances
Chairman, Central Vista
Oversight Committee, Ministry abroad have been returned
of Housing and Urban Affairs, compared to the insignificant
Government of India numbers that were returned in
the earlier decades. Many of
these artefacts were housed in
Art and culture are vital not private and public museums
just for a country's identity, but abroad but had deep religious
for fostering national pride, unity, and cultural significance for
and respect on a global scale. the communities from which
Prime Minister Shri Narendra they were taken. The return of
Modi’s efforts to reclaim artefacts these treasures is also a form of
taken from India, especially after moral justice and India's wider
our Independence, reflect this acceptance as an influencer
importance. Artefacts, integral in the international diplomatic
to India’s cultural and spiritual domain. For instance, the return
heritage, were initially taken of sculptures like Nataraja and
out from the subcontinent Ardhanarishwara from Australia
during colonial times. After and the Parrot Lady from
independence we lost many Canada set a strong precedent
priceless pieces due to theft and in India’s foreign policy,
international smuggling. Their showcasing India's increasing
return is not just about restoring influence in global cultural
physical objects but about dialogues.
reviving a sense of cultural Since 2014, India has received

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