7 New Indian Sites Added to UNESCO Tentative List, Total Now 69

Recently, UNESCO has included seven new properties of India in the tentative list of World Heritage Sites. Now the number of Indian properties included in the tentative list has reached 69 (49 in the cultural category, three in the mixed category, and 17 in the natural category).

• Seven new properties, including the natural heritage of the Deccan Traps in Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra and the Tirumala Hills in Andhra Pradesh, have been included in India’s tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, according to officials.
• The Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO said that the addition of these properties reflects India’s “commitment to the preservation and promotion of its rich cultural heritage.”
• India currently has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (35 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed), with the recently included Maratha Military Landscapes being the 44th site, making India one of the top countries in the world.
• India began its journey in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1983 with four sites (Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal).

Major properties

• Natural category – Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra), Erra Matti Dibbalu (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh); Tirumala Hills (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh); and Varkala (Kerala).
• Geological heritage – Deccan Trap; St. Mary’s Islands (Udupi, Karnataka); Meghalaya Age Caves (East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya); Naga Hill Ophiolite (Kiphire, Nagaland) are included.
• With these, the number of Indian properties included in the tentative list has now reached 69 (49 in the cultural category, three in the mixed category, and 17 in the natural category).
• “Inclusion in the tentative list is a mandatory requirement before any property is included in the World Heritage List. We thank the Archaeological Survey of India for its tireless efforts,” it said.

About the World Heritage Convention

• It was adopted by the UNESCO General Assembly in 1972. This convention came into effect in 1975. In 1975, under the convention, the ‘World Heritage in Danger’ list and the ‘World Heritage Fund’ were established.
• India ratified this convention in 1977. April 18 was declared as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day.

UNESCO World Heritage Committee

• Structure: This committee consists of representatives elected from 196 member countries. India is currently a member of it. Term: 6 years (although most countries voluntarily decide to remain members only for 4 years).
• For the first time in July 2024, India hosted the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi. It was organized by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture.
• ‘Moidams’ was a burial practice of the Ahom dynasty. Recently, it was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List as India’s 43rd entry.

India’s UNESCO World Heritage Site – Maratha Military Landscapes

• In the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC), India’s official nomination, the Maratha Military Landscapes, was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the 2024-25 cycle.
• India’s Maratha Military Landscapes include a total of 12 major forts, most of which are located in Maharashtra and one in Tamil Nadu. These forts were built or expanded between the late 17th century and the early 19th century.