**Executive Summary**
This document outlines the Ministry of Culture's ongoing efforts to update and maintain the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List. It details various schemes and initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting India's cultural heritage, including financial support through the Guru-Shishya Parampara scheme and the operation of seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs). The document also mentions UNESCO regulations regarding nominations for the ICH list, with Deepawali and Chhath Mahaparv nominated for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 cycles, respectively.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH):**
* The Ministry of Culture, through Sangeet Natak Akademi, is actively updating the ICH list, focusing on documenting and preserving ICH elements.
* **Preservation and Promotion Schemes:**
* The Ministry implements schemes to preserve and promote cultural heritage nationwide.
* The Guru-Shishya Parampara scheme provides financial assistance for performing arts and training.
* Seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) are established to promote folk arts and culture.
* **UNESCO Nominations:**
* One nomination is submitted every two years per UNESCO regulations.
* Deepawali is nominated for the 2025-26 cycle; Chhath Mahaparv for the 2026-27 cycle.
* **Organizations and Cultural Promotion:**
* 43 organizations operate under the Ministry for cultural promotion (details in Annexure I).
* The Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) organizes various cultural programs.
* **UNESCO Recognition:**
* India has 15 elements inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List, including Kumbh Mela.
* Buddhist chanting of Ladakh is also included.
* **Tourism and Preservation:**
* The Ministry of Tourism supports Buddhist tourism through central sector schemes.
* The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conserves and preserves monuments, including Buddhist sites.
* **Annexures:**
* Annexure I lists 43 organizations under the Ministry of Culture.
* Annexure II lists Indian ICH heritage inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Culture**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the timely updation and management of the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing and managing preservation schemes, supporting Zonal Cultural Centres, and preparing UNESCO nominations.
**Stakeholder: Artists and Cultural Groups**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of financial support through the Guru-Shishya Parampara scheme.
* **Action Required:** Engage with the Ministry of Culture and Zonal Cultural Centres to participate in preservation and promotion initiatives.
**Stakeholder: State Governments/UT Administrations**
* **Impact:** Recipients of financial assistance from the Ministry of Tourism for the development of Buddhist Tourism.
* **Action Required:** Collaborate with the Ministry of Tourism to develop and promote Buddhist circuits, and work with ASI on monument conservation.
**Stakeholder: UNESCO**
* **Impact:** Responsible for evaluating nominations for the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list and ensuring compliance with regulations.
* **Action Required:** Review nominations from India for Deepawali and Chhath Mahaparv and other ICH elements, following established procedures and criteria.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Culture: Primary ministry responsible for the preservation and promotion of India's cultural heritage.
National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List: List maintained by the Ministry of Culture to document and preserve ICH elements across the country.
UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, whose regulations influence ICH nominations.
Guru-Shishya Parampara Scheme: A scheme implemented by the Ministry of Culture that provides financial support for performing arts activities and traditional art training.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI): Agency under the Ministry of Culture responsible for the conservation and preservation of monuments, including protected Buddhist sites.
Ministry of Culture
National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage
प्रव तथ: 08 DEC 2025 3:34PM by PIB Delhi
Ministry of Culture through Sangeet Natak Akademi has been taking steps to ensure timely updation of
National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List that covers documentation, preservation of
ICH element across the country.
Ministry of Culture implements several schemes throughout the country to preserve and promote rich
cultural and heritage of India. Guru–Shishya Parampara scheme provide financial support for all genres of
performing arts activities like dramatic groups, theatre groups, music ensembles, children theatre etc. and
imparting training of artists by their respective Guru on regular basis in line with Guru–Shishya Parampara.
The Ministry of Culture has established seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) to preserve and promote
India's folk arts and culture across the country. These centers, with headquarters in Patiala, Nagpur,
Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur, and Thanjavur, work to protect, disseminate, and develop regional
cultural diversity, involve youth, and document vanishing art forms.
As per UNESCO regulation one nomination is submitted in every two year cycle for including in
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. For 2025-26 cycle, Deepawali has been
nominated for including in ICH list. Chhath Mahaparv has been nominated for the cycle 2026-27.
There are 43 organizations under Ministry of Culture for promotion of cultural activities across the country.
The details are placed at Annexure I. The Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) organizes various
cultural programmes and initiatives, such as the "Guru Shishya Parampara" scheme, which includes
traditional art forms from Odisha like Gotipua Dance and Paika akhada.
India currently has 15 elements inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity including Kumbh Mela from Uttar Pradesh in the year 2017. Chhatth Mahaparv has
been nominated for the ICH List for the Year 2026-27. The details of these elements are placed at
Annexure II.
Ministry of Tourism through its central sector schemes extends financial assistance to the State
Governments/UT Administrations for development of Buddhist Tourism. The ‘Buddhist Circuit’ has been
identified as one of the thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture undertakes conservation and
preservation of various monuments including protected Buddhist Sites, under the Annual Conservation
program.
Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region,
Jammu and Kashmir, India are included in UNESCO representative list of ICH.
This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in
a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
****
Sunil Kumar Tiwaripibculture[at]gmail[dot]com
Annexure – I
LIST OF ATTACHED / SUBORDINATE OFFICES & AUTONOMOUS ORGANIZATIONS
UNDER THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE
S. No Organization S. No Organization
1. Archaeological Survey of India 23. Lalit Kala AKademi
2. National Archives of India 24. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of
Asian Studies
3. National Gallery of Modern Arts 25. National Council of Science Museums
4. National Museum 26. Prime Ministers Museum & Library,
5. National Research Laboratory for 27. National School of Drama
Conservation of Cultural Property
6. Central Reference Library 28. Indian Institute of Heritage
7. National Library, Belvedere 29. Nav Nalanda Mahavihara
8. Anthropological Survey of India 30. Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library
Foundation
9. National Monument Authority 31. Rampur Raza Library
10. Allahabad Museum 32. Sangeet Natak Akademi
11. Asiatic Society 33. Sahitya Akademi
12. Centre for Cultural Resources & 34. Salar Jung Museum
Training,
13. Central Instt. Of Buddhist Studies 35. Victoria Memorial Hall
14. Central University Of Higher Tibetan 36. National Culture Fund
Studies
15. Central Institute of Himalayan Culture 37. North Zone Cultural Centre,
Studies
16. Delhi Public Library 38. South Zone Cultural Centre,17. Gandhi Smiriti & Darshan Samiti 39. South Central Zone Cultural Centre
18. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manava 40. North East Zone Cultural Centre
Sangrahalaya
19. Indian Museum 41. West Zone Cultural Centre
20. Indira Gandhi National Centre For the 42. Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre
Arts
21. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library 43. North Central Zone Cultural Centre
22. Kalashetra Foundation
Annexure – II
Indian ICH heritage inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the ICH of Humanity
S. No. ICH Heritage Year of State/ Union Territory
Inscription
1. Tradition of Vedic chanting 2008 All states
2. Ramlila, the traditional performance 2008 All states
of the Ramayana
3. Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre 2008 Kerela
4. Ramman, religious festival and ritual 2009 Uttarakhand
theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas,
India
5. Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance 2010 Kerela
drama of Kerala
6. Kalbelia folk songs and dances of 2010 Rajasthan
Rajasthan
7. Chhau dance 2010 Eastern India
(West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha)8. Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: 2012 UT of Ladakh,
recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in
UT of Jammu & Kashmir
the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region,
Jammu and Kashmir, India
9. Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming 2013 Manipur
and dancing of Manipur
10. Traditional brass and copper craft of 2014 Punjab
utensil making among the Thatheras
of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India
11. Yoga 2016 All States
12. Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, 2016 All states
Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz,
Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz,
Navruz
13. Kumbh Mela 2017 Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh
14. Durga Puja in Kolkata 2021 West Bengal
15. Garba of Gujarat 2023 Gujarat
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2200361) आगंतुक पटल : 745
इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही