3 Indian Sites included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List

TWO sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List

Question: Recently how many Indian sites are included in UNESCO’S World Heritage List?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 5
d) 7
Ans: (b)
Related facts:

  • The 40th session of the World Heritage Committee meeting was held in Istanbul on 10-20 July 2016.
  • During the 10-day meeting on July 15, 2016, the Committee Included 4 sites worldwide In the UNESCO World Heritage List.
  • In this three Indian sites are included in UNESCO’S World Heritage List
  • This is the first time three sites of a country got included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in a single session of the meeting.
  • This includes archaeological site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) in Bihar was included in UNESCO’S World Heritage.
  • It is second in the list of UNESCO’S World Heritage from the state of Bihar, India.
  • Earlier in 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Alexander Cunningham had discovered the remains of Nalanda University.
  • It was the world’s first residential university, about 10 thousand students from around the world used to live for education.
  • Among the incoming students the number of Buddhist followers was more.
  • The university remained until the 13th century; the Ottoman invader Bakhtiyar Khilji burnt the university.
  • The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh also made it to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • The third in the list from India is Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) in Sikkim.
  • Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) in Sikkim is located on the world’s third highest peak Khangchendzonga.
  • There are 35(27 cultural and 7 natural sites and 1 mixed) World Heritage Sites in India that are recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as on July 2016.
  • It may be recalled that The Great Himalayan National Park in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh and Rani-ki-Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 during 38th Unesco’s World Heritage Committee meeting in Doha.

Reference:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/in
http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1524
http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1530/