Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi: Rejuvenating India’s Civilizational Heritage

Introduction:

In recent years, India’s approach to cultural governance has shifted from viewing heritage as a passive relic of the past to positioning it as an active driver of national identity and socioeconomic growth. Guided by the vision of “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi” (Development alongside Heritage), the country has undertaken a massive institutional, digital, and structural overhaul of its tangible and intangible cultural assets over the last 12 years. This holistic integration of conservation, technology, and cultural diplomacy marks a defining era in India’s civilizational resurgence.

Key Pillars of India’s Heritage Revitalization:

1. Institutional Framework and Infrastructure Schemes:

The government has systematically linked heritage preservation with infrastructure development, urban renewal, and sustainable livelihoods through targeted central schemes:

• Adopt a Heritage 2.0: Launched in 2017 and revamped in 2023, this initiative fosters public-private partnerships. It enables corporate entities, NGOs, and trusts to develop and maintain visitor amenities at protected monuments via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding. As of March 2026, 30 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been operationalized, driving a total footfall of 13.59 million across adopted sites in FY 2024–25.
• PRASHAD Scheme: Launched in 2015, the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive focuses on high-yield spiritual tourism. Out of 54 sanctioned projects across 28 states (totaling ₹1,726.74 crore), 32 have been physically completed, including the Somnath Promenade and Kedarnath Circuit upgrades.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0 & CBDD: Moving away from the older circuit-based approach of Swadesh Darshan 1.0 (75 out of 76 projects completed), version 2.0 adopts a destination-centric model to create sustainable and globally competitive hubs. Under this, the Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD) sub-scheme was introduced in March 2024, funding 38 innovative projects with an investment of ₹697.94 crore.
• HRIDAY Scheme: Concluded in March 2019, this scheme seamlessly integrated urban planning with heritage conservation across 12 historic cities (e.g., Varanasi, Amritsar, Kancheepuram, and Puri), improving municipal amenities while retaining their historical character.

2. Architectural Redevelopment and Economic Impact:

Major spiritual and historic landmarks have undergone massive architectural transformations, unlocking immense local economic potential:

• Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham: A ₹355-crore corridor project connecting the temple directly to the Ganga River. It hosted over 25.28 crore devotees in 3.5 years, generating an estimated ₹1.25 lakh crore in regional economic impact.
• Somnath Temple: Upgraded with a 1.5 km promenade and high-tech light-and-sound shows. It combines spirituality with ecological sustainability via a 7,200-tree Miyawaki forest, zero-waste plastic recycling into paver blocks, and large-scale wastewater treatment.
• Kedarnath & Ayodhya: Accessibility to Kedarnath is being transformed via the 12.9 km Sonprayag–Kedarnath Ropeway (using advanced Tri-cable 3S technology). Concurrently, Ayodhya’s rapid infrastructure transformation is projected to scale its tourism economy to ₹18,000 crore annually by 2028.

3. Digitization, Knowledge Preservation, and AI Integration:

To shield physical manuscripts and oral traditions from degradation, advanced technology has been deployed at scale:

• Gyan Bharatam Mission (2025): The flagship mission for archiving India’s vast manuscript wealth. It has documented over 44 lakh manuscripts, with 1.29 lakh already accessible on the National Digital Repository (NDR). It utilizes Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to decode ancient scripts.
• AI-Driven Language Translation: The BHASHINI platform (launched 2022) processes real-time translations across 22 voice and 36 text languages. Dedicated platforms like Adi-Vaani focus on the digital preservation, translation, and transcription of endangered tribal folklore (such as Santali, Bhili, and Gondi).
• Vedic Heritage Portal: Spearheaded by the IGNCA, this digital repository hosts over 500 hours of high-quality audio-visual recordings of the four Vedas, preserving oral chanting traditions recognized by UNESCO.
• National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM): Dedicated to restoring classic cinematic art. As of late 2025, 1,469 titles (4.3 lakh minutes of film) have been digitized and curated by the National Film Archives of India (NFAI).

4. Archaeology and Global Recognition:

• Database Mapping: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)—which manages 3,686 centrally protected monuments across 38 administrative circles—is backed by the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA). The NMMA has inventoried 1.84 lakh monuments and 17.20 lakh antiquities using LiDAR, GIS mapping, and drone surveys.
• Next-Gen Museums: The newly opened Archaeological Experiential Museum at Vadnagar, Gujarat (January 2025) offers a first-of-its-kind immersive experience, allowing visitors to walk above an active 4,000-sq-meter open excavation site. In New Delhi, the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum is being established inside the historic North and South Blocks, spanning a massive 1,54,000 square meters.
• UNESCO Footprint: India’s presence on the global heritage stage has scaled significantly, expanding from 31 to 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, alongside 15 Intangible Cultural Heritage inscriptions (including Durga Puja, Garba, and Kumbh Mela).

5. Cultural Diplomacy and Resettlement:

India has taken an aggressive stance against the historical plundering of its artifacts:

• Antiquity Retrieval: Since 2014, a total of 653 stolen antiquities have been retrieved, with 613 brought back in the last five years alone. Notable returns include the Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha (returned in 2025 after 127 years) and the Goddess Annapurna idol from Canada.
• Relic Expositions: India’s soft-power diplomacy is actively bolstered by organizing global expositions of sacred Buddhist relics across partner nations like Vietnam, Russia, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.

Importance of Heritage-Led Development:

• Socioeconomic Multiplier: As seen in Varanasi and Ayodhya, heritage infrastructure directly accelerates tourism, creating employment pipelines in hospitality, aviation, local handicrafts, and transport.
• Civilizational Confidence: Reclaiming stolen artifacts and documenting ancient manuscripts anchors public consciousness in civilizational pride, countering colonial narratives of historical stagnation.
• Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy: Expanding the UNESCO register and executing global relic expositions strengthens geopolitical alignments, particularly within the Global South and Southeast Asia’s Buddhist circuits.

Key Challenges:

• Urban Encroachment and Modernization Pressures: Rapid infrastructure creation around sensitive sites poses structural and environmental hazards to micro-ecosystems (e.g., high tourist footfall and massive construction in fragile Himalayan ecological zones like Kedarnath).
• Funding and Skill Gaps in Conservation: While flagship monuments receive adequate resources, thousands of state-protected or undocumented sites face neglect due to a lack of trained archaeologists, materials scientists, and continuous conservation funding.
• The Illicit Antiquities Trade: Despite massive strides in repatriation, a complex global web of illegal art trafficking, untracked private collections, and lengthy legal verification processes continues to challenge recovery efforts.

Conclusion:

The “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi” paradigm demonstrates that preservation and modernity are not mutually exclusive goals. By deploying state-of-the-art AI toolkits, implementing robust public-private frameworks, and executing sharp cultural diplomacy, India is actively weaving its rich historical fabric into its future growth story. True sustainable development for a civilizational state lies in moving forward without leaving its roots behind.

UPSC Practice Questions:

Prelims:

Q1. With reference to cultural heritage initiatives in India, consider the following statements:

1. The PRASHAD scheme is a destination-centric initiative aimed at creating sustainable, globally competitive hubs by replacing the old circuit-based approach.
2. The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) is implemented under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to create a comprehensive national database of built heritage and antiquities.
3. The Adi-Vaani platform leverages artificial intelligence for the digital preservation, translation, and transcription of India’s tribal languages and folklore.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

• Answer: (b)

Q2. Consider the following pairs of cultural initiatives and their primary core focus:

1. Gyan Bharatam Mission: Comprehensive digitization and preservation of India’s manuscript heritage.
2. BHASHINI: An AI-powered platform designed exclusively for ancient script decoding and HTR application.
3. Adopt a Heritage 2.0: Public-private collaboration to develop and maintain public amenities at protected monuments.

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) All three pairs

(d) None of the pairs

• Answer: (b)

Mains:

Q. Evaluate the role of the “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi” paradigm in balancing heritage conservation with economic development in India. Frame your answer highlighting the role of modern digital technologies in preserving India’s civilizational legacy. (15 Marks, 250 Words)

Skill India Mission