It’s a heartbreaking reality that India’s first-ever Academy Award winner, Bhanu Athaiya, felt the need to return her golden statuette to the Academy because she feared it wouldn't be preserved well after her passing. While some call it an insult to national pride, I see it as a desperate plea for archival respect. We celebrate our stars during the limelight, but when it comes to the physical preservation of cinematic history, we often fail. She brought India its first moment of global glory for her costume design in 'Gandhi,' yet she didn't trust local institutions to keep that legacy safe from theft or neglect. Is this a loss for the country, or was she right to ensure its safety at the Academy’s headquarters? It is a complex debate on legacy. #culture #history #cinema