Historians for more efforts to protect monuments
Experts and historians gathered at an event to celebrate the life and contributions of Narayani Gupta, an eminent historian renowned for her work on Delhi's history, raised alarm over the state of heritage conservation in India.
According to historians present at the event, the country’s historic monuments and heritage buildings are at risk of being lost, with only around 10,000 buildings currently protected by law.
Ratish Nanda, a leading conservationist, highlighted the disparity between India’s efforts and those of other countries in preserving heritage sites. “In India, even with conservation on the concurrent list, less than 10,000 buildings are protected by law,” Nanda said. “The UK has about 650,000 and New York City—yes, even with Donald Trump—has about 29,000. For me, that is a shame.”
Nanda pointed out that heritage buildings in India are often undervalued, with the focus instead on the land itself as an asset. “People see land as the asset, not the buildings. Even in the 21st century, heritage buildings are often seen through the lens of religion—this is Muslim, this is Hindu—and that’s a problem,” he added.
Nanda and other historians at the event emphasised that heritage conservation should be viewed not just as a cultural obligation but also as an economic opportunity. “What we’ve been trying to do as historians is to demonstrate that heritage is an economic asset,” Nanda said. “The only solution to large-scale preservation is this new religion of money. Everyone needs to understand that heritage can contribute to sustainable development if conservation is done well.”
The protection of heritage sites in India falls under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which operates under the Ministry of Culture. The ASI is responsible for safeguarding archaeological sites, monuments and other heritage structures, but many buildings across India remain unprotected. Conservation plans for cities must address both protected and unprotected heritage sites, as well as the neighbourhoods and public spaces that form a key part of a city’s identity.
According to the ASI's "Handbook of Conservation of Heritage Buildings", approximately 100 buildings in Delhi are currently being preserved and restored by the ASI.
Swapna Liddle, another historian, spoke about the importance of preserving not just buildings, but also the names associated with Delhi’s history. “While we talk a lot about the history of Delhi, I think we still do not appreciate the fact that we need to preserve the history of the city in a very real way—by preserving the names,” Liddle said. “Every time you change a name, you lose a little bit of history.”
The renaming of prominent roads and places in Delhi, such as Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg, Aurangzeb Road to APJ Abdul Kalam Road and Dalhousie Road to Dara Shikoh Road has been a point of contention among historians and heritage conservationists. They argue that such changes erode the historical and cultural fabric of the city.
As India continues to grapple with rapid urbanisation, historians and conservationists are urging the government and citizens alike to recognise the importance of preserving the country's rich architectural and cultural heritage for future generations.
