Published By: Sayan Paul

On This Day in 1929: First Oscars Held - A Look at India's Journey at the Academy Awards

India's association with the Academy Awards began in the mid-20th century and has only grown stronger over the decades.

The Oscars may be the most coveted award in cinema, but let’s not forget that they’ve never really been global in the truest sense. Unlike festivals like Cannes or Venice that celebrate the diversity of world cinema, the Academy Awards is primarily rooted in Hollywood and then other English cinema, with only a few windows open for films from across the world. For a long time, that window was mostly limited to the Best Foreign Language Film category. And yet, even in that narrow space, India managed to leave a mark. Also, over the years, there have been moments when Indian artists working in foreign films caught the Academy’s attention. At times, the spotlight fell on a filmmaker whose body of work was simply too powerful to ignore. Slowly but surely, the recognition began to grow.

Today marks 96 years since the first-ever Academy Awards ceremony was held, back in 1929. And what better day to pause and look back at India’s journey at the Oscars—a journey filled with quiet resilience, proud moments, and a growing presence on cinema’s biggest stage.

The First Big Knock: Mother India (1958)

India’s first serious handshake with the Oscars came in 1958, when 'Mother India' was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. The film lost by just one vote (yes, one), but it was enough to get the world talking. For a country still carving its post-independence identity, this was massive. Suddenly, India wasn’t just the land of beautiful nature and curries—it was also the land of powerful storytelling.

(Credit: indianhistorypics)

Later, two other Indian films, 'Salaam Bombay' and 'Laagan', got nominated at the Oscars. 

Bhanu Athaiya - the First Indian to Win an Oscar

While our films were often left waiting on the red carpet, our artists quietly snuck in through the backdoor—and won.

In 1983, Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Oscar, for Best Costume Design in 'Gandhi'. She literally stitched her way to history. Years later, she returned her Oscar to the Academy for safekeeping, worried it might get damaged or lost. That’s how you know you’ve made peace with your greatness.

(Credit: indianhistorypics)

Satyajit Ray: The Maestro Gets His Due

The Academy, perhaps feeling a bit guilty for ignoring a genius for far too long, gave Satyajit Ray an Honorary Oscar in 1992. He was gravely unwell at the time, receiving the award from his hospital bed, but his acceptance speech—gentle, eloquent, and moving—remains one of the most heartfelt moments in Oscar history. Although Ray didn’t need an Oscar to validate his genius, it was a milestone in his career. 

(Credit: Film History Pics)

Slumdog Millionaire: When India Dominate

Okay, let’s address the elephant in the Dolby Theatre—'Slumdog Millionaire' was a British film. But as it goes without saying, the film looked and felt like an Indian film. And the Academy couldn’t get enough.

The film bagged eight Oscars, and Indians were front and center. A.R. Rahman won two—Best Original Score and Best Original Song (Jai Ho). Resul Pookutty won for Best Sound Mixing. Gulzar for Best lyrics. For once, the Oscars had more Indian accents than British ones. We’ll take that.

Indians Who've Graced the Oscar Stage: A Rare Club

When Deepika Padukone introduced the electrifying “Naatu Naatu” performance at the 2023 Oscars, she became only the third Indian to present at the prestigious ceremony. Before her, the honor belonged to two others—Persis Khambatta, who took the Oscar stage in 1980 after her 'Star Trek' fame, and Priyanka Chopra, who presented an award in 2016, sharing the spotlight with Hollywood's biggest names. With Deepika’s graceful presence, it was yet another sign that Indian talent is finally being celebrated where the world watches.

RRR and Naatu Naatu 

The Academy had no idea what hit them when "Naatu Naatu" danced its way into the nominations—and then took the Oscar for Best Original Song. It was catchy, unapologetically Indian, and made even the stiffest tuxedos tap a toe. 'RRR' was a cultural tidal wave. And this time, there was no “foreign film” label to hide behind. It won in a mainstream category, and that made all the difference.

(Credit: Oscars)

Documentary Wins: Real India on the Real Big Stage

2023 was also the year India flexed its documentary muscles. 'The Elephant Whisperers', a tender Tamil documentary about the bond between humans and baby elephants, won Best Documentary Short Film—a first for an Indian production.

(Credit: Oscars)

Meanwhile, 'All That Breathes', Shaunak Sen's feature-length documentary about two brothers saving injured birds in Delhi, was nominated for Best Documentary Feature. Though it didn’t win, its quiet brilliance still flew high—like the birds it celebrated.

So the next time someone asks, “Has India ever won an Oscar?", tell them it’s a long story. And we have just started.