Santiniketan added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List

About Santiniketan

• It is located in the state of West Bengal.
• It was established in 1901 by Rabindranath Tagore.
• It was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions.
• In 1921, a ‘world university’ was established at Santiniketan, later recognised as 'Visva Bharati'.
• Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan is Bengal’s only central university whose chancellor is the Prime Minister.
• It is distinct from the prevailing British colonial architectural orientations of the early 20th century and of European modernism.
• It represents approaches toward pan-Asian modernity, drawing on ancient, medieval and folk traditions from across the region.

Key facts about UNESCO World Heritage

• A World Heritage Site (WHS) is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.
• These sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance.
• Categorisation of Sites – The sites are categorised in three types:
  • Cultural heritage sites – It includes historic buildings and town sites, important archaeological sites, and works of monumental sculpture or painting
  • Natural heritage sites – It includes those natural areas that have excellent ecological and evolutionary processes, endangered species etc.
  • Mixed heritage sites – It contains elements of both natural and cultural significance.
• India has 41 world heritage sites, including 33 cultural properties, 7 natural properties and 1 mixed site.

Q1) What is Heritage?

Heritage refers to the cultural, historical, and natural assets that are passed down from one generation to the next. It encompasses a wide range of tangible and intangible elements that are significant to a particular group of people, community, or society.

Source: Tagore’s home Santiniketan added to UNESCO World Heritage List