The PM of India was presented with the historic 11th-century Chola Copper Plates by authorities of Leiden University during his official visit to the Netherlands. The Chola copper plates are not ordinary relics; they are inscriptions engraved on metal sheets that served as official records in ancient times. These plates were used to document royal decrees, land grants, and temple donations.

India received a major cultural boost as the Netherlands returned a set of rare Chola copper plates during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Saturday, May 16, 2026. It marks an important moment in the repatriation of ancient heritage artefacts. These copper plates are believed to belong to the Chola dynasty, one of the most powerful and influential South Indian empires that ruled between the 9th and 13th centuries.

Rare Chola Copper Plates return

The PM of India was presented with the historic 11th-century Chola Copper Plates by authorities of Leiden University during his official visit to the Netherlands. The Chola copper plates are not ordinary relics; they are inscriptions engraved on metal sheets that served as official records in ancient times. These plates were used to document royal decrees, land grants, temple donations, and administrative orders issued by Chola rulers. Written mostly in Tamil and Sanskrit, they provide valuable insights into the governance, economy, religion, and social systems of the Chola period.

PM Modi shares the photos of the artefacts