India gets back 10th Century idol found in England

India received an ncient idol dating back to the 10th century, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on Friday. The 10th century idol was illegally removed from a village temple in Uttar Pradesh over 40 years ago and discovered in a garden in England. The sculpture, which is part of a Yogini set from Lokhari Temple in Banda district of Bundelkhand, will now be dispatched to the Archaeological Survey of India in New Delhi. The Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar, took formal charge of the sculpture at the High Commission of India in London from Chris Marinello of Art Recovery International, the organisation which helped repatriate the idol.

A Glimpse of Yogini Statue repatriation ceremony at India House. https://t.co/tJWaF9M9GF pic.twitter.com/E7xrF9ASjd

— India in the UK (@HCI_London) January 14, 2022

Jaspreet Singh Sukhija, First Secretary - Trade and Economic at the Indian High Commission in London, has been working on the restitution of the sculpture, securing relevant paperwork and also ensuring anonymity for the elderly female owner of the private garden from where it was discovered.