4 min readNew DelhiDec 10, 2025 01:22 PM IST
First published on: Dec 10, 2025 at 01:09 PM IST
A year after Durga Puja made it to the prestigious list, India’s Deepavali — the festival of lights — was on Wednesday inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity.
The decision was taken during a key meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) being hosted at the Red Fort in Delhi. For the next year’s cycle, India has sent a nomination dossier for Bihar’s Chhat Puja for the consideration of the Unesco committee.
Hailing the nomination, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that “people in India and around the world are thrilled”.
“For us, Deepavali is very closely linked to our culture and ethos. It is the soul of our civilisation. It personifies illumination and righteousness. The addition of Deepavali to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List will contribute to the festival’s global popularity even further,” PM Modi posted on X.
The 20th session of the panel is underway from December 8 to 13 at the Red Fort. This is the first time that India is hosting a session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
As per officials, the nomination process for Deepavali saw engagement from diverse communities, groups, and individuals — through inputs, consent letters, and testimonials, captured in written, audio, and audiovisual formats. Sangeet Natak Akademi, the nodal agency for ICH matters of the Ministry of Culture, formed a committee comprising experts, academicians, practitioners, poets, and writers, ensuring regional representation, considering the pan-India reach of the festival. The pitch for Deepawali is also aimed at the Indian diaspora.
India currently has 15 elements inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and these include the Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, the tradition of Vedic chanting, and Ramlila – the traditional performance of the epic ‘Ramayana’.
The Intergovernmental Committee advances the objectives of the 2003 Convention and ensures their effective implementation across member states. It offers guidance on best practices, recommends safeguarding measures, and mobilises resources for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar formally opened the session, describing traditions, languages, music, craftsmanship, and other intangible heritage as the most “democratic expression of culture,” “owned by all and guarded by many.”
Addressing delegates from multiple countries, he stressed the need to protect cultural inheritance, strengthen it, and ensure its transmission to future generations in the shared pursuit of peace and prosperity.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Unesco Director-General Khaled El-Enany, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and India’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to Unesco Vishal V Sharma attended the inaugural ceremony on Sunday. Over 1,000 delegates from over 180 countries, including committee members, Unesco officials, experts, accredited NGOs, and practitioners, are likely to participate in the event
The decision was taken during a key meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) being hosted at the Red Fort in Delhi. (Pixabay) 
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