Chola-era Leiden Copper Plates may return to Tamil Nadu

These copper plates were handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 16 in The Hague in the Netherlands. Photo: File Going by a letter sent by the Union Minister of Culture to a Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu, it appears that the historically significant Chola-era Leiden Copper Plates, brought back to India from the Netherlands, are likely to return to Tamil Nadu.Considered a crucial historical record of the Chola period, the Anaimangalam copper plates were housed for a long time at the Leiden University in the Netherlands. These copper plates were handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 16 in The Hague.Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan wrote a letter to Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat requesting that the plates be returned to Tamil Nadu. He stated: “The copper plates originated in Nagapattinam. While every Indian can rightfully take pride in their return, heritage acquires its fullest meaning when it remains connected to its historical geography. The story recorded on these plates is inseparable from the delta, ports, temples, monasteries, and settlements of the Tamil region. To view them in Tamil Nadu is to encounter not an isolated artefact but an entire historical world. I therefore urge the government of India to ensure that the Leiden Copper Plates are permanently displayed in an appropriate institution in Tamil Nadu chosen in consultation with historians, archaeologists, cultural experts, and the State government.”Replying to the letter, Mr. Shekhawat said the repatriated antiquities were sent back to their respective States. “The antiquities repatriated to India are generally returned to their respective places of origin after verification of the provenance record and in accordance with the established procedure,” he wrote.Speaking to The Hindu regarding this, Mr. Venkatesan said: “I had written to the Prime Minister as well on this matter. In the past, certain antiquities repatriated to the country have been sent back to the respective States. It brings great joy that the Minister has now confirmed this through a letter.” Published - November 10, 2026 07:12 pm IST