Last updated: October 2026 Β· 3 min read
The Academy Awards, or Oscars, are the world’s best-known film honours. Indians have won them for costume design, music, sound, songs and documentaries. Here is the complete list.
Indian Oscar winners
| Year (ceremony) | Winner | Category | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Bhanu Athaiya | Best Costume Design | Gandhi |
| 1992 | Satyajit Ray | Honorary Award for lifetime achievement | β |
| 2009 | A.R. Rahman | Best Original Score | Slumdog Millionaire |
| 2009 | A.R. Rahman and Gulzar | Best Original Song (“Jai Ho”) | Slumdog Millionaire |
| 2009 | Resul Pookutty (with two others) | Best Sound Mixing | Slumdog Millionaire |
| 2023 | M.M. Keeravani and Chandrabose | Best Original Song (“Naatu Naatu”) | RRR |
| 2023 | Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga | Best Documentary Short | The Elephant Whisperers |
India and Best International Feature
India sends one film each year for the Best International Feature Film category (earlier Best Foreign Language Film). Only three have been nominated: Mother India (1958), Salaam Bombay! (1989) and Lagaan (2002). None has won yet.
Recent years
For the 98th Academy Awards (held in March 2026), India’s entry Homebound made the shortlist but was not among the final nominees. Indian talent continues to appear in technical and short-film categories.
Other notable Oscar connections
- Period. End of Sentence. (2019), a documentary short set in Uttar Pradesh, won an Oscar; Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment was associated with it, though it was produced by a US team.
- Sound engineer and visual effects artists of Indian origin have won Scientific and Technical Awards.
- Smile Pinki (2009), about a girl from Mirzapur, won Best Documentary Short; it was directed by American Megan Mylan.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first Indian to win an Oscar?
Bhanu Athaiya, for costume design in Gandhi, at the 1983 ceremony.
Has an Indian film won the Oscar for Best International Feature?
No. Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan were nominated but did not win.
Which Indian song won an Oscar?
“Jai Ho” (2009) and “Naatu Naatu” from RRR (2023).
Keep exploring
- Satyajit Ray: life and films
- The story of Indian cinema
- Facts about Indian cinema
- More Cinema articles on Tiwaripedia
Facts are based on widely accepted official, scientific and historical sources at the time of writing. Spotted something that needs updating? Let us know.
