Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Academy Award in 1983. She won Best Costume Design for the 1982 film 'Gandhi' at the 55th Academy Awards on April 11, 1983. She shared the award with British designer John Mollo. Athaiya returned her statuette to Academy in 2012 for safekeeping. She passed away on October 15, 2020 at 91.