Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday, 31 May 2026 praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for spotlighting ancient copper-plate inscriptions from Malhar, Chhattisgarh, during the latest episode of Mann Ki Baat, and credited the Prime Minister's diplomatic outreach for securing the return of Chola-period copper plates from the Netherlands.

Context

In his post, Minister Shekhawat noted that Prime Minister Modi, during the 31 May 2026 edition of Mann Ki Baat, drew public attention to copper plates discovered at Malhar in Chhattisgarh that are estimated to be approximately 1,500 years old. The minister wrote: 'Aaj ka Bharat apni virasat se judkar use sahejne ke vishay mein unnat hai' — 'Today's India is advanced in connecting with and preserving its heritage.'

Shekhawat also highlighted that the Netherlands has handed over Chola-era copper plaques to India, an outcome he attributed directly to Prime Minister Modi's personal initiative in bilateral cultural diplomacy.

Policy Backdrop

Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister's monthly radio address launched in October 2014, has repeatedly served as a platform to amplify heritage conservation milestones and build public awareness around archaeological discoveries. The programme reaches tens of millions of listeners across India and is broadcast in multiple regional languages.

India's cultural diplomacy since 2014 has produced a series of bilateral agreements resulting in the repatriation of antiquities from museums and private collections abroad. The return of artefacts from European nations — including the Netherlands in the present instance — forms part of a broader pattern of leveraging high-level diplomatic engagement to recover items of historical significance. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), referenced by Shekhawat in his post, is the central agency responsible for excavation, conservation, and documentation of such finds.

The Gyan Bharatam campaign, which Shekhawat described as conceived and driven by Prime Minister Modi's vision, aims to preserve and promote India's knowledge traditions and manuscript heritage. The Ministry of Culture's focus on manuscript and copper-plate digitisation has earlier roots in the National Mission for Manuscripts, established in 2003, but received renewed institutional impetus after 2014.

Stakeholders and Impact

The Malhar site in Chhattisgarh has long been of interest to archaeologists and heritage researchers for its layered history spanning multiple ancient dynasties. The public mention of its copper-plate finds in a nationally broadcast address is expected to draw fresh scholarly and tourist attention to the site and to the broader Chhattisgarh heritage corridor.

For the Chola-period plates returned by the Netherlands, the repatriation carries symbolic weight for communities and scholars invested in South Indian cultural history. Such returns also reinforce India's standing in international negotiations over displaced cultural property, a cause that has gained significant momentum over the past decade.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the rollout milestones of the Gyan Bharatam campaign and whether the Ministry of Culture schedules a formal display or academic documentation exercise for the Malhar copper plates. Further repatriation announcements are possible during upcoming bilateral diplomatic meetings or culture ministry events. The consistent use of Mann Ki Baat as a heritage communication tool suggests that archaeological and repatriation developments will continue to feature prominently in the government's public outreach calendar.