United by heritage

India deserves more than just 42 World Heritage Sites. Here’s why

- VIKRAM CHAUDHARY

ON SEPTEMBER 25 last year, the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh included Santiniketan in West Bengal and the 12th-century Hoysala Temples of Karnataka as India's 41st and 42nd World Heritage Sites, respectively.

The subcontinent now has 34 cultural sites (man-made), seven natural sites (national parks, etc) and one mixed site (having traits of both), totaling 42.

But this number (42) falls far short of much smaller and historically younger countries such as Italy (59), Germany (52), France (52) and Spain (50). China, whose history is almost as old as India's, has 57 World Heritage Sites.

According to Tim Curtis, director and representative, Unesco's New Delhi regional office, there are a lot of tentative sites in India that may be added to the list in due course of time."The process (to add a site to the list) is quite long," Curtis tells FE. "The minimum time it takes is three years, but often is longer," he adds.

Before a state party/country presents a site to the World Heritage Committee to be considered for listing, it needs to have in place the right management and protection plans of that particular site. Post that, it can present the file to the Unesco-parent body of the World Heritage Committee --and from there it takes 18-24 months for the site to be processed for evaluation.

The final selection is done by a group of 21 state parties that are part of the World Heritage Committee (it's a rotating list).

In total, there are 195 state parties that have ratified the World Heritage Convention, which guides the work of the World Heritage Committee.

In line for recognition