Seven artefacts, including a stone doorpost stolen from a Hindu temple in Uttar Pradesh, have been returned to India by Glasgow’s museums in Scotland’s largest-ever repatriation of objects from a single collection.

Glasgow Life, a non-profit organization that runs the city’s museums, had confirmed the handover earlier this year and the agreement was formalized at a ownership transfer ceremony at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum on Friday in the presence of India’s acting High Commissioner for the UK, Sujit gosh.

Among the seven antiquities now making their way back to India are a ceremonial Indo-Persian talwar, or sword, thought to date to the 14th century, and an 11th-century carved stone doorpost, the comes from a temple in Kanpur.

“We are delighted that our partnership with Glasgow Life has resulted in a decision to restitute Indian artefacts from Glasgow museums to India,” said Ghosh.

These artifacts are an integral part of our civilizational heritage and are now being sent home. We salute all those involved in making this possible, particularly Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council, he said.

Most of the objects were removed from temples and shrines in various states of North India during the 19th century, while one was bought by the owner after being stolen. All seven artifacts were donated to Glasgow’s collections, according to Glasgow Life.

The transfer of ownership of the Indian antiquities symbolizes a significant step for Glasgow as the city continues its positive history of return by ensuring these cultural artefacts are returned to their rightful owners, Duncan Dornan, Head of Museums and Collections, Glasgow Live.

Credit must be given to the High Commission of India and the British High Commission for their cooperation and support. We look forward to continuing our work with the Indian authorities to ensure the safe return of these artifacts, he said.

The transfer of ownership came after Glasgow City Council’s Borough Management Committee approved a recommendation by the bipartisan Working Group on Repatriation and Expropriation in April to return 51 items to India, Nigeria and the Lakota-Sioux tribes of Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge in South Dakota, United States .

After meeting at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, representatives from the Government of India and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) were given the opportunity to view the objects at the Glasgow Museums Resource Center where they are “kept safe”.

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations, said: “The repatriation of these objects is of great historical and cultural importance to both Glasgow and India, so it is a privilege to to welcome Indian dignitaries to our city on such a momentous occasion.

The deal reached with the Indian government is another example of Glasgow’s commitment to addressing past injustices and remaining transparent when explaining how objects ended up in the city’s museum collections.

The Indian delegation also included Jaspreet Sukhija, First Secretary of the Indian High Commission in London, and Bijay Selvaraj, Consul General of the Indian Consulate General in Edinburgh.

Glasgow Life said the Indian delegation’s visit is another milestone in the city’s efforts to return more than 50 cultural artefacts to the descendants of their true owners, the largest single-collection repatriation to date in Scotland.

It is also repatriating 19 Benin bronzes to Nigeria, a work that has been ongoing since its inception. The artefacts, acquired as gifts, bequests and from auction houses, were stolen from sacred sites and ceremonial buildings during the British Punitive Expedition of 1897.

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