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The Return of the Chola Copper Plates to India marks a major cultural restitution milestone for India. The Netherlands formally returned the 11th-century Chola-era copper plates, also known as the “Leiden Plates”, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country in May 2026.

These copper plates date back to the reign of Rajaraja Chola I (985–1014 CE) and are considered among the most important surviving records of the Chola Empire. The collection contains 21 copper plates weighing around 30 kg, bound by a bronze ring carrying the royal Chola seal. The inscriptions are written in both Sanskrit and Tamil.

The plates were reportedly taken to the Netherlands in the 18th century by Dutch missionary and scholar Florentius Camper during the period when Nagapattinam was under Dutch control. They later became part of the collection at Leiden University. India had been seeking their return since 2012.

Prime Minister Modi called the return “a joyous moment for every Indian,” highlighting the broader effort to bring back culturally significant artefacts removed during colonial times.

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