Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 1 June 2025, used the 134th episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat to celebrate the return of rare Chola-era copper plates from the Netherlands to India, calling it a 'moment of immense pride' for the nation. He also urged young Indians to explore astronomy and join science clubs during their holidays.

The Chola Copper Plates: What Was Returned

Modi recalled his recent visit to the Netherlands, where a formal ceremony marked the repatriation of the artefacts. 'In a special ceremony held in the Netherlands, ancient copper plates from the Chola period were returned to India. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands was also present at the event,' he said. The collection comprises 21 large and 3 small copper plates, primarily connected to King Rajendra Chola I, who fulfilled a vow made by his father, King Rajaraja Chola. The inscriptions record the donation of the village of Anaimangalam to a Buddhist monastery.

Modi noted that the return had generated widespread curiosity about the historical significance of the plates, with messages of pride pouring in from the Tamil community in India and abroad. 'The Tamil community around the world is also particularly enthusiastic about this,' he said. The inscriptions, he explained, illuminate the maritime power of the Chola Empire and its diplomatic engagements with Southeast Asian countries.

New Discovery in Chhattisgarh Under Gyan Bharatam Abhiyan

Separately, Modi highlighted a recent archaeological find closer to home: three rare copper plates unearthed in Malhar, Chhattisgarh, under the Gyan Bharatam Abhiyan. Experts believe the inscriptions belong to the period of Maharishi Balarjun of the Panduvanshi dynasty, dating to the sixth-seventh centuries — roughly 1,400 to 1,500 years old. 'These copper plates are written in ancient Brahmi script and the Pali language. They provide important information about the governance, religion and culture of that time,' he said. This find adds to a growing body of discoveries under the government's heritage-documentation drive.

Modi's Call for Astronomy Awareness Among Youth

Pivoting to science, Modi observed that India's fascination with the skies stretches back centuries. 'We Indians have always had a special fascination for astronomy. Centuries-old observatories still exist in our country. Amazing mathematical discoveries have been made here. Be it navigation, the almanack, or our festivals, all of these are related to the sky and the stars,' he said. He noted that astronomy clubs are proliferating across the country, from metropolitan cities to small towns and from schools to public parks.

Modi spotlighted several organisations advancing grassroots astronomy: the Bangalore Astronomical Society, which conducts regular observational sessions and has launched a mission to popularise astronomy in rural areas through a team called 'Khagol Mandal' offering a 30-hour introductory course; Astro Keralam, which organises night observation camps and workshops; the Big Bang Astronomy Club, which has held events from the Gir forests to the Rann of Kutch; Jyotirvidya Parisanstha, described as one of India's oldest astronomy institutions; and ISAAC, a nationwide student-led network linking astronomy and astrophysics clubs across the country.

What the Prime Minister Urged

Concluding his remarks, Modi said: 'It is very important to take out time for your hobby and constantly learn something new. I would urge the youth to join an astronomy club and visit a planetarium during these holidays.' The dual appeal — to cultural pride through heritage recovery and to scientific curiosity through astronomy — reflects a recurring theme in his Mann Ki Baat addresses, which blend nationalism with calls for grassroots learning. This comes amid the government's broader push to document and repatriate Indian artefacts held abroad, a campaign that has gained pace since 2022.