first Indian to win an Oscar

Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Oscar when she won the award for 'Costume Design' for the film 'Gandhi'. Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi' won 7 Oscars in 1982 including the Best Picture and Best Director Award.

Biography

Bhanu Athaiya was born Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye in Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India on the 28th of April 1929. She was the third of seven children born to Annasaheb and Shantabai Rajopadhye. Annasaheb died when Bhanumati was still nine years old.
Career
She started her career as a freelance fashion illustrator with various women's magazines in Bombay, including the 'Eve's Weekly' later when its editor opened a boutique, she asked Bhanu to try designing dresses, hereupon she discovered her flair for designing clothes, her success as a designer soon led to her switching career paths.where Guru Dutt asked her design clothes for his films, start with C.I.D. in 1956, there was no turning back for her from then on, she was soon part of the Guru Dutt team.

A tribute was paid to her body of work at the opening of the South Asian International Film Festival, New York in November 2005.
Personal life
Bhanu was married to Satyendra Athaiya, a poet and occasional lyricist for Hindi films. The marriage ended in separation, and she never remarried. The couple has one daughter, who currently resides with her family in Kolkata.
Awards and nominations
Academy Award1983: Best Costume Design: Gandhi (with John Mollo)

BAFTA Awards1982: Best Costume Design: Gandhi Nominated (with John Mollo).
National Film Award
Best Costume Design:
1991: Lekin...
2002: Lagaan
Filmfare Awards2009: Lifetime Achievement Award