India’s seven more properties added to tentative list of UNESCO heritage

Seven new Indian sites, including the Deccan Traps at Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra) and the Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills (Andhra Pradesh), have been added to UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage properties, officials said.

The Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO described the additions as a reflection of the country’s commitment to preserving its rich cultural and natural heritage. In a post on X on September 12, the delegation said, “India’s 7 properties have been added to the Tentative List of UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention.”

The seven natural heritage sites include:

• Deccan Traps, Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra)

• Geological Heritage of St. Mary’s Island Cluster (Udupi, Karnataka)

• Meghalayan Age Caves (East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya)

• Naga Hill Ophiolite (Kiphire, Nagaland)

• Natural Heritage of Erra Matti Dibbalu (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh)

• Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh)

• Natural Heritage of Varkala (Kerala)

With these additions, India now has 69 properties on the Tentative List: 49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3 mixed heritage sites. The statement thanked the Archaeological Survey of India for its diligent efforts.

Officials noted that inclusion on the tentative list is a prerequisite for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

With PTI inputs