NEW DELHI: India’s rich documentary and intellectual heritage has received major international recognition, with three of its foundational historical and literary classics—the Mahabharata, Arthashastra, and Rajatarangini—officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) Regional Register.
Welcoming the announcement, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat described the inclusion as a moment of immense national pride and a landmark recognition of India’s extraordinary civilisational legacy.
In an official statement posted on X, the minister highlighted that the three works represent India’s enduring traditions of historical inquiry, philosophical reflection, and statecraft, noting that their wisdom continues to inspire global thought.
“A moment of immense pride for India! The inclusion of Rājataraṅgiṇī, Mahābhārata and Arthaśāstra in @UNESCO Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register is a landmark recognition of India’s extraordinary documentary and civilisational heritage. These timeless works embody our rich traditions of historical inquiry, philosophical thought and statecraft, whose wisdom continues to inspire humanity. Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, India’s civilisational legacy is receiving unprecedented global recognition and its rightful place on the world stage,” Minister Shekhawat stated (November 5, 2026).
The three inscribed works provide complementary insights into the intellectual evolution of the Indian subcontinent:
The Rajatarangini, authored by 12th-century Kashmiri historian Kalhana, stands as one of the most vital historical chronicles of medieval India. Composed in Sanskrit, it systematically documents the history of Kashmir across successive dynasties, recording political transformations and social life through critical evaluation of sources and chronological accuracy.
The Mahabharata, among the world’s longest epic poems, holds a central place in South Asian literary and ethical traditions. Beyond detailing the conflict between the Kauravas and Pandavas, the epic examines core concepts of duty, justice, governance, and moral philosophy. Its philosophical core, including the Bhagavad Gita, remains a major influence on international ethical discussions.
The Arthashastra, attributed to Kautilya (Chanakya), serves as a foundational treatise on statecraft, economic policy, diplomacy, and administrative structures. Its detailed framework covering taxation, public law, intelligence networks, and state organization continues to be a crucial reference for political historians and economic scholars.
This milestone highlights India’s ongoing participation in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, established in 1992 to protect critical documentary heritage against degradation and loss. The initiative operates across international, regional, and national registers to ensure historical records remain accessible.
India’s coordination with the programme is led by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), designated as the nodal agency in 2014 to oversee nominations, archival preservation, and capacity building.
India has previously secured global inscriptions for treasures such as the Rigveda, Shaiva manuscripts, Tamil medical texts, Kalachakra Tantra commentaries, and the works of Abhinavagupta. Prior inscriptions on the Asia-Pacific Regional Register include the illustrated Ramcharitmanas, the Sanskrit poetics text Sahrdayaloka-Locana, and a rare 15th-century Panchatantra manuscript.
The inscription of these three seminal texts reinforces India’s commitment to manuscript preservation and highlights the enduring value of South Asian intellectual traditions within global documentary heritage.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com