National Maritime Heritage Complex | 08 Sep 2025

Source: PIB

The Chief of the Naval Staff visited the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat.

National Maritime Heritage Complex

• About: It is an ambitious cultural and tourism project in Lothal, Gujarat that aims to highlight India’s rich and diverse 4,500-year-old maritime heritage and establish the largest maritime heritage complex in the world.
  • Key projects include a world-class Lighthouse Museum, coastal state pavilions, and a maritime-themed eco-resort.
• Development and Funding: Under India's Sagarmala Programme, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) is developing the NMHC, with its Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) funding the world's tallest Lighthouse Museum. 

Lothal

• About: It is one of the southernmost sites of the Harappan civilization, located in the Bhal region of Gujarat, between the Bhogavo and Sabarmati rivers near the Gulf of Khambhat. 
  • The name Lothal in Gujarati means “mound of the dead”, similar to Mohenjo-daro in Sindhi.
  • The site was discovered in 1954 by S.R. Rao was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in April 2014.
• Significance: It is famous for having the world’s earliest known dock, which connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river. 
  • It was also famous for bead workshops, and maritime trade links with Mesopotamia and Egypt dating back nearly 4,000 years.