India, a country renowned for its rich cultural, natural, and historical heritage, has 52 potential locations that are eagerly awaiting the coveted UNESCO World Heritage tag. At present, the nation already boasts 40 recognized UNESCO World Heritage Sites, each exhibiting unique features that reflect the depth and diversity of India's heritage.

G Kishan Reddy, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development, shared this information with the Lok Sabha recently. In 2022 alone, six new sites were added to India's UNESCO Tentative List, marking another promising stride in the nation's journey of promoting and protecting its heritage.

For a site to be considered for the World Heritage List, its first step is to be included in the Tentative List, as stated by UNESCO. This preliminary inclusion serves as a prerequisite for the ultimate recognition. Consequently, the augmentation of the Tentative List is a regular and ongoing endeavor.

As per the Operational Guidelines set by UNESCO in 2021, each country can nominate only one property, either of cultural or natural significance, for the inscription process annually. Beyond that, the proposed site needs to meet stringent conditions. They must fulfill specific criteria, authenticate their authenticity and integrity, and demonstrate their "Outstanding Universal Value." This term encapsulates the exceptional cultural and/or natural significance which transcends national boundaries and holds importance for humanity's present and future generations.

The Minister elaborated on these details while explaining the process and requirements for the inclusion of sites in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In 2022, six Indian sites earned a place on the UNESCO Tentative list. These diverse sites encapsulate India's rich heritage:

1. The Geoglyphs of the Konkan Region of India: These are significant archaeological landscapes featuring large designs produced on the ground, often with cultural and spiritual importance.

2. Jingkieng jri: Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes in Meghalaya: These are natural suspension bridges made by training tree roots, exhibiting the harmonious relationship between humans and nature.

3. Sri Veerabhadra Temple and Monolithic Bull (Nandi), Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh: This site represents the Vijayanagara Sculpture and Painting Art Tradition, showcasing intricate artwork and grand architecture.

4. Sun Temple, Modhera and its adjoining monuments in Gujarat: This ancient temple dedicated to the Sun God exemplifies exquisite architectural designs and sculptures.

5. Rock-cut Sculptures and Reliefs of the Unakoti Range in Tripura: This site is an open-air gallery featuring huge rock-cut images and stone idols of Lord Shiva.

6. Vadnagar – A multi-layered Historic town in Gujarat: This site provides insights into the diverse historical eras that shaped the region, from ancient to modern times.

Each of these locations holds immense potential to further bolster India's cultural and historical significance on the global stage, sparking excitement and anticipation across the nation.

World Heritage is the designation for places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. Places as diverse and unique as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, the Taj Mahal in India, the Grand Canyon in the USA, or the Acropolis in Greece are examples of the 1007 natural and cultural places inscribed on the World Heritage List to date.

World Heritage Sites are places of exceptional cultural or natural significance and hare recognized by UNESCO for their outstanding universal value. These sites include ancient ruins, historical monuments, natural landscapes, and cultural practices.

World Heritage Sites are important because they provide a unique insight into the history and culture of a country or region. They are often popular tourist destinations and can help to boost the local economy. However, they should be protected and preserved to ensure their continued existence for future generations.

Preservation of World Heritage Sites

The preservation of World Heritage Sites is essential to ensure that they continue to provide insights into our past and cultural heritage. This can be achieved through a variety of measures, such as:

Conservation and restoration of buildings and structures: This involves repairing and maintaining historical buildings and structures to ensure their longevity.

Protection and management of natural sites: This involves managing natural sites such as national parks to ensure that they remain intact and free from human disturbance.

Education and awareness-raising: This involves educating people about the significance of cultural heritage and the need to protect it.

Funding and support: This involves providing financial support and resources to ensure that cultural heritage sites are properly maintained and preserved.

52 Sites on the Tentative List 

A Tentative List is an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination.

• Temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal - 1998
• Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala - 1998
• Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh - 1998
• Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh - 1998
• Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab - 2004
• River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam - 2004
• Namdapha National Park - 2006
• Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch - 2006
• Neora Valley National Park - 2009
• Desert National Park - 2009
• Silk Road Sites in India - 2010
• Santiniketan - 2010
• The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar - 2010
• Mughal Gardens in Kashmir - 2010
• Delhi - A Heritage City - 2012
• Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate - 2014
• Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands - 2014
• Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India - 2014
• Apatani Cultural Landscape - 2014
• Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam - 2014
• Monuments of Srirangapatna Island Town - 2014
• Chilika Lake - 2014
• Padmanabhapuram Palace - 2014
• Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala - 2014
• Sites of Saytagrah, India’s non-violent freedom movement - 2014
• Thembang Fortified Village - 2014
• Narcondam Island - 2014
• Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty - 2014
• Ekamra Kshetra – The Temple City, Bhubaneswar - 2014
• The Neolithic Settlement of Burzahom - 2014
• Archaeological remains of a Harappa Port-Town, Lothal - 2014
• Mountain Railways of India (Extension) - 2014
• Chettinad, Village Clusters of the Tamil Merchants - 2014
• Bahá'í House of Worship at New Delhi - 2014
• Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami- Pattadakal - 2015
• Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of India - 2015
• Sites along the Uttarapath, Badshahi Sadak, Sadak-e-Azam, Grand Trunk Road - 2015
• Keibul Lamjao Conservation Area - 2016
• Garo Hills Conservation Area (GHCA) - 2018
• The historic ensemble of Orchha - 2019
• Iconic Riverfront of the Historic City of Varanasi - 2021
• Temples of Kanchipuram - 2021
• Hire Benkal, Megalithic Site - 2021
• Bhedaghat-Lametaghat in Narmada Valley - 2021
• Satpura Tiger Reserve - 2021
• Serial Nomination of Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra - 2021
• Geoglyphs of Konkan Region of India - 2022
• Jingkieng jri: Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes - 2022
• Sri Veerabhadra Temple and Monolithic Bull (Nandi), Lepakshi (The Vijayanagara Sculpture and Painting Art Tradition) - 2022
• Sun Temple, Modhera and its adjoining monuments - 2022
• Rock-cut Sculptures and Reliefs of the Unakoti, Unakoti Range, Unakoti District - 2022
• Vadnagar – A multi-layered Historic town, Gujarat - 2022

More about the Tentative List Process

States Parties are encouraged to submit their Tentative Lists, properties which they consider to be cultural and/or natural heritage of outstanding universal value and therefore suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List.

States Parties are encouraged to prepare their Tentative Lists with the participation of a wide variety of stakeholders, including site managers, local and regional governments, local communities, NGOs and other interested parties and partners.

States Parties should submit Tentative Lists, which should not be considered exhaustive, to the World Heritage Centre, at least one year prior to the submission of any nomination. States Parties are encouraged to re-examine and re-submit their Tentative List at least every ten years.

States Parties are requested to submit their Tentative Lists using a Tentative List Submission Format, in English or French, containing the name of the properties, their geographical location, a brief description of the properties, and justification of their outstanding universal value.

Nominations to the World Heritage List will not be considered unless the nominated property has already been included on the State Party's Tentative List.

In conformity with Committee Decision 7 EXT.COM 4A, once inscribed on the World Heritage List, properties are removed from the Tentative Lists of States Parties.