US returns 105 antiquities to India days after PM Modi's visit

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

India by American authorities. Some of the valuable Indian antiquities were handed over by the US at a special repatriation ceremony held at the Consulate General of India in New York in the presence of India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Consul General Randhir Jaiswal and officials from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Addressing the ceremony, Sandhu said the 100 antiquities being repatriated to India are «not just art but part of our heritage, culture and religion.» Sandhu said when this lost heritage returns home, it is received with a lot of emotion.

The antiquities will soon be transported to India. The 105 artifacts represent a wide geographical spread in terms of their origin in India — with 47 from Eastern India, 27 from Southern India, 22 from Central India, 6 from Northern India, 3 from Western India, an official release said. «Spanning a period from 2nd-3rd Century CE to 18th-19th Century CE, the artifacts are made of terracotta, stone, metal and wood.

Around 50 artifacts relate to religious subjects [Hinduism, Jainism and Islam] and the rest are of cultural significance,» it said. During Prime Minister Modi's State Visit to the US last month, the Indian leader had thanked President Joe Biden for helping the return of these cultural properties. Sandhu voiced gratitude to the Manhattan District Attorney's office, Homeland Security officials and other agencies for their commitment and efforts in helping getting many sick artifacts back to India.