By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, SEP 18, 2024: MINISTRY of Culture, Govt of India has taken several initiatives for preserving and promoting India's rich cultural heritage. The key achievements and initiatives, during the first 100 days of the Govt, that reflect its ongoing commitment to enhancing India's Cultural Heritage, are as follows:

Successful Hosting of the 46th World Heritage Committee Session: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, successfully hosted the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Delhi from July 21-31, 2024. The session, inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attracted nearly 2900 delegates from over 140 countries. Highlights included an exhibition on the issue of illicit trafficking of cultural property and the launch of Project PARI, which involved over 200 artists and 300 students in creating public art across the national capital.

Inscription of ‘Moidams: the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty': India proudly added Moidams from Assam to the World Heritage List. This site, marking the first cultural property from northeastern India on the List, enhances India's World Heritage tally to 43 properties, reflecting the country's diverse and rich cultural heritage.

Har Ghar Tiranga: The HGT campaign, spearheaded by the Prime Minister, saw unprecedented engagement, with over 5 crore citizens participating by hoisting the Tiranga at their homes and joining in national events such as the Tiranga Run and Tiranga Rally. This campaign significantly bolstered national pride and unity.

Inauguration of Museum Dedicated to Humayun's Tomb and Sufi Tradition: On 29th July, 2024, this state-of-the-art museum was inaugurated in Delhi, thereby, becoming a prominent addition to city's cultural and tourist attractions.

Commemorative Postage Stamp for Mukesh : A commemorative postage stamp honouring Mukesh, the iconic Indian playback singer, was released on 24th July, 2024, at Rang Bhawan, Akashwani, New Delhi. This tribute acknowledges Mukesh's enduring legacy and contributions to Indian music.

Cultural Property Agreement with the United States: On 26th July, 2024, India and the United States signed a Cultural Property Agreement to combat the illicit trafficking of antiquities. This agreement aims to strengthen international cooperation in protecting India's cultural heritage.

Collaboration with France Museum Development for Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum: The Culture Ministry organized a Workshop for capacity building of private stakeholders including conservation architects and designers to contribute to the development of the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum. This initiative aims to ensure synergy among stakeholders and create a unified vision for the museum. The Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum set to come up at North and South Block as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment project will be spread over 1,54,000 sqm, making it the largest museum in the world.

World Folklore Day Celebration by Zonal Cultural Centre: The South Zone Cultural Centre celebrated World Folklore Day with a grand festival in Thanjavur and Chennai, involving 850 artists. Benefits were disbursed directly to beneficiaries underscoring the Ministry's commitment to supporting folk and tribal arts.

MoU between Anthropological Survey of India and UCL for Advanced Bio-Archaeological Research : The Anthropological Survey of India and University College, London have entered a collaborative agreement to enhance bio-archaeological research. This partnership will allow study of human skeletal remains for advanced studies, including osteological, histological, and stable isotope analyses.

Reconstruction of South Asian Population History Using Genomics : MoU between Anthropological Survey of India and Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow has been signed to reconstruct the population history of South Asia through state-of-the-art genomics. This project will analyze DNA, microbiomes, and stable isotopes from ancient and contemporary samples to gain insights into this historical dynamic.

These initiatives highlight the Ministry of Culture's unwavering dedication to cultural preservation, international collaboration, and the celebration of our rich heritage.