Indian cinema has given several gems to the world, but we have been unable to win an Academy Award in the acting and direction categories. However, India is no country of slouches, the nation has won several Oscars in different categories of Academy Awards over the years. From filmmaker Satyajit Ray to AR Rahman, Guneet Monga and MM Keeravani, several Indian celebrities have lifted the Oscar trophies. However, today, we'll tell you about the first Indian woman who not only won an Oscar but brought glory to the country like no one else. 

Yes! We are talking about Bhanu Athaiya, the first Indian woman to win an Academy Award. Bhanu Athaiya is known for her costume designing in the film world. In today's article, we will tell you about Bhanu's success story. Bhanu Athaiya was awarded an Oscar for designing costumes in the film Gandhi, released in 1982. This film was made by British director Richard Attenborough. Bhanu was also a gold medalist in painting and this was the reason why Richard Attenborough chose her for his film.

Early life and career

Bhanu Athaiya was born on 28 April 1929 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Bhanu started her film career in the year 1956 with the film CID. Where she worked with famous Bollywood directors like Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra and Raj Kapoor. Let us tell you that she started her costume designing career with Guru Dutt. After this, she did costume designing for big films like Chauhdavi Ka Chand and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster. Bhanu Athaiya was active in Indian cinema since the 50s and designed costumes for more than 100 films. Apart from Oscar, she has also received two National Awards. She last designed costumes in Aamir Khan's film Lagaan and Shah Rukh Khan's film Swades.

Desire to send back the Oscar trophy

In 2012, Bhanu Athaiya expressed her desire to return the Oscar trophy. She wanted the Oscar trophy to be kept in a safe place after her death. Then, while talking to BBC, Bhanu Athaiya had said, "The biggest question is about the safety of the trophy; many awards have disappeared in India before. I have enjoyed the award for so many years, I want it to remain safe in future as well. I often go to the Oscar office, and I have seen that many people have kept their trophies there. American costume designer Edith Head also kept her eight Oscar trophies in the Oscar office before she died."

What did Bhanu Athaiya say about the Oscar Award?

Bhanu Athaiya, while remembering that evening of the Oscar ceremony, said, "The writer of the film was also going with me in the car to the ceremony being held in Dorothy Schindler Pavilion. He had said that he felt that the award would be given to me. Other designers sitting at the Oscar ceremony of 1983 were also saying that I would get the award. I asked How can you say this with so much confidence? On this question, they replied to me that the scope of your film is so big that we cannot compete with it. While receiving the award, I only said that I thank Sir Richard Attenborough for drawing the world's attention towards India. Thank you, Academy." Bhanu Athaiya believed that if her trophy was kept in the Oscar office, more people would be able to see it.

Took her last breath in 2020

Bhanu Athaiya breathed her last on October 15, 2020. She was bedridden for the last three years due to a brain tumor and died in her sleep on a Thursday morning.