What Cultural Milestones Did India Achieve in 2025? Discover the Highlights!
A Year of Cultural Celebrations and Recognitions
New Delhi: The Ministry of Culture had a bustling agenda in 2025, featuring events from the Maha Kumbh in January-February to the year-long festivities commemorating 150 years of 'Vande Mataram' starting in November.
The year concluded with a significant achievement as Deepavali received recognition from UNESCO.
India's rich cultural heritage was prominently displayed at the Maha Kumbh through 'Kalagram', located in a vast 10.24-acre area in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
'Kalagram' was crafted as a sensory journey, merging both tangible and intangible elements of India's cultural legacy.
Additionally, the Maha Kumbh logo was showcased on various monuments protected by the central government to celebrate the event.
Throughout the past year, the Ministry of Culture initiated celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the national song 'Vande Mataram' in November, honored the 300th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar with a grand event in Bhopal, and marked the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel nationwide.
The latter half of 2025 brought two significant UNESCO recognitions for India.
The first was the inclusion of the 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' in the World Heritage List during the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee in July in Paris.
This designation encompasses 12 sites, including Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, and others in Maharashtra, along with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
The second recognition was for Deepavali, which was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 10.
This marked the 16th entry from India on this prestigious list, joining other elements like Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat remarked that this recognition honors humanity's enduring desire for renewal and peace.
He emphasized the importance of preserving Deepavali as a living heritage, supported by countless artisans and potters.
In December, India hosted the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This marked the first time India hosted such a significant session, occurring shortly after the tragic blast at the Red Fort that resulted in multiple casualties.
Looking ahead, the government plans to organize an exposition of Lord Buddha's holy relics in Sri Lanka.
An official source indicated that the exposition is set for February in Colombo, featuring relics excavated from Devnimori in Gujarat, currently held by Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara.
In November, some relics from the National Museum in New Delhi were displayed in Bhutan for a 17-day public exposition.
Earlier in 2024, relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples were showcased in Thailand during a 26-day exposition.
These relics, dating back to the 4th-5th century BC, were discovered in Piprahwa by the Archaeological Survey of India in the 1970s.
For the Ministry, 2025 was pivotal as 'Gyan Bharatam', a national initiative aimed at preserving and digitizing India's manuscript heritage, was launched in September.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Gyan Bharatam portal, concluding with the Delhi Declaration, which reaffirmed India's commitment to safeguarding its manuscript heritage in line with the vision for Viksit Bharat 2047.
Another significant event was the closing ceremony commemorating the 150th anniversary of Srila Prabhupad, the founder of the Gaudiya Mission, held in Kolkata's Science City in February, showcasing his life and related artifacts.