Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra Secured Spot on UNESCO's Global Heritage Catalogue

Manuscripts of the Bhagavad Gita and the Natyashastra have been added to UNESCO’s global Memory of the World catalogue.

What Happened

The two Indian works are part of a batch of 74 documentary‑heritage collections approved on 17 April 2025, raising the total number of entries to 570. The new batch also includes materials on the Scientific Revolution, women’s role in history and key moments of multilateral cooperation, contributed by 72 countries and four international bodies.

Reaction

Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X on 18 April 2025, calling the move “a proud moment for every Indian across the world” and saying it recognises India’s timeless wisdom. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat described the listing as a historic honour for India’s civilisational heritage, noting that the country now holds 14 entries on the UNESCO list. He added that the texts are more than literary treasures; they form philosophical and aesthetic foundations that shape how India thinks and creates.

Context

UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme aims to preserve documentary heritage that has global significance. Inclusion signals international acknowledgement of a work’s influence on culture, knowledge and artistic practice. The Bhagavad Gita is a key spiritual guide, while the Natyashastra is the oldest known treatise on drama, dance and music, both shaping South Asian thought for centuries.