The Academy Awards, popularly known as Oscars is the highest award for any achievement in the world of cinema. For Indian Oscar Award Winners, winning the Academy Award is not just a personal achievement, but a moment of pride for the entire nation.
Over the years, several exceptional Indian talents have made their mark on the global stage by bagging this prestigious award. In this article, let us take a closer look at some of the remarkable Indians who have won Oscars.
| Indian Recipients | Category | Oscar Year |
| Bhanu Athaiya | Best Costume Design | 1983 |
| Satyajit Ray | Honorary Award | 1992 |
| Resul Pookutty | Best Sound Mixing | 2009 |
| Gulzar | Best Original Song | 2009 |
| A R Rahman | Best Original Score and Best Original Song | 2009 |
| Kartiki Gonsalves | Best Documentary Short | 2023 |
| MM Keeravani | Best Original Song | 2023 |
| Chandrabose | Best Original Song | 2023 |
List of Indian Oscar Award Winners
1. Bhanu Athaiya
Bhanu Athiya was the first Indian to win an Oscar. She won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her work in the film Gandhi in 1983. With her work in the movie, she brought every character to life.
2. Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray is a father figure in the Indian cinema. He was awarded the Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1992 for his immeasurable contribution to filmmaking.
3. Resul Pookutty
Resul Pookutty brought the art of sound engineering into the limelight with brilliant work in Slumdog Millionnaire. For his work, he bagged an Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing in 2009 along with Ian Tapp, and Richard Pryke.
4. Gulzar
Veteran Lyricist Gulzar won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionnaire. The Award was shared with A R Rahman in 2009.
5. A R Rahman
AR Rahman became the first Indian to win two Oscar Awards in 2009. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Song along with the veteran lyricist Gulzar and another Academy Award for Best Original Score for the song Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionnaire.
6. Kartiki Gonsalves
The young documentary filmmaker from India won the Academy Award for Best Short Film (Documentary) in 2023. She won the Oscar Award for her short film The Elephant Whisperers starring Bomman and Belli.
7. MM Keeravani
MM Keeravani is a recent addition to the list of Indians who have won Oscar Awards. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for the Naatu Naatu Song from the movie RRR along with Chndrabose in 2023.
8. Chandrabose
The Indian lyricist and playback singer Chandrabose won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2023. He won the award along with MM Keeravni for the Naatu Naatu song from RRR.
Conclusion
The Indians who have won Oscar awards are not just exceptional artists but also the country’s cultural ambassadors. Every award won by Indians is a testament to the diverse cinematic landscape in India. It also puts the focus on the ever-growing prowess of Indians in cinema and storytelling. Though there are very few Indian Oscar Award Winners, every individual who has worked tirelessly to create a cinematic masterpiece should be acknowledged.
