Year End Review-2025: Ministry of Culture

• 12 Dec 2025

For Prelims: Piprahwa relics , Kashi Tamil Sangamam , Kamba Ramayana, Maratha Military Landscapes, Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh,  Gyan Bharatam  

For Mains: Heritage preservation efforts, Indian Heritage & Culture, Government Policies & Interventions

Source: PIB 

Why in News?

The Ministry of Culture released its Year-End Review for 2025, showcasing a landmark year filled with major cultural festivals, heritage preservation efforts, and large-scale public participation.

Summary

• India marked key heritage gains in 2025, including the return of the Piprahwa Buddha relics and UNESCO status for the Maratha Military Landscapes. 
• The year saw major cultural showcases and knowledge initiatives like Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0, revival of Kambh Ramayana, Kalagram at Mahakumbh, and the Gyan Bharatam programme.

What Were the Key Heritage Preservation Measures Undertaken by India in 2025? 

• Repatriation of Lord Buddha’s Relics: The sacred Piprahwa relics (1898) were stopped from being auctioned abroad and returned to India after 127 years through coordinated legal and diplomatic intervention. 
• Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3.0: It is a cultural initiative that celebrates the deep-rooted historical and cultural ties between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, strengthening their ancient civilizational bond.  
  • Kashi Tamil Sangamam aligns with the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative. The first two editions of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam were held in 2022 and 2023. 
• Revival of Kambh Ramayana Tradition: The Kamba Ramayana, also known as Ramavataram, is a prominent 12th-century CE Tamil epic composed by the poet Kambar.  
  • It is a reimagining of Valmiki’s Sanskrit Ramayana, adapted to reflect the socio-cultural and religious values of the Chola period. 
• Kalagram at Mahakumbh 2025:  Kalagram is a cultural village established by the Ministry of Culture for the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj.  
  • It is designed to showcase India's rich spiritual and diverse heritage through a blend of crafts, cuisines, and cultural performances. 
• UNESCO Recognition for Maratha Military Landscapes: India secured the inscription of the Maratha Military Landscapes as its 44th UNESCO World Heritage Site, raising India’s global rank to 6th in number of World Heritage properties. 
• Project Mausam: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) hosted a national workshop in New Delhi to strengthen research on maritime cultural routes and safeguard ocean-linked cultural landscapes in the Indian Ocean region. 
• Project Gaja-Lok: It is a transnational initiative launched by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage), documenting the cultural symbolism of Asian elephants through exhibitions and roundtable discussions, linking ecology with cultural heritage. 
• Gyan Bharatam: A national initiative to preserve, digitise, and disseminate India’s manuscript heritage, was launched at the first Gyan Bharatam International Conference in New Delhi.  
  • The conference concluded with the Delhi Declaration, reaffirming India’s commitment to revitalising its manuscript tradition under the vision of Vikshit Bharat 2047. 
• Tribal Business Conclave 2025: The conclave showcased tribal arts, literature, and entrepreneurship, aligning with Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh. 
• Special Campaign 5.0: The Special Campaign 5.0 (officially, the Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters 5.0 or SCDPM 5.0) is an initiative focused on reducing pendency and institutionalizing cleanliness (Swachhata). 
  • The campaign reached full cleanliness targets across 599 cultural sites, and implemented a major push for scientific e-waste disposal. 
• Samvidhan Hatya Diwas: Observed on 25th June 2025 to mark 50 years since the declaration of Emergency, highlighting the importance of constitutional values, civil liberties, and democratic safeguards. 
• Sewa Parv 2025: Showcased large-scale public participation through nationwide art workshops and cleanliness drives at heritage sites, linking community service with cultural expression and civic awareness. 

Conclusion 

The year 2025 marked a powerful resurgence of cultural pride, heritage conservation, and civilizational confidence. Through festivals, global partnerships, heritage repatriation, and knowledge preservation, the Ministry of Culture strengthened India’s cultural footprint at home and abroad while inspiring public participation on an unprecedented scale.

Drishti Mains Question:

Heritage conservation must reconcile conservation ethics and mass participation. Discuss.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Q. Which property became India’s 44th UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025? 
Maratha Military Landscapes were inscribed as India’s 44th UNESCO World Heritage Site, enhancing India’s global rank for World Heritage properties and highlighting landscape-based military heritage. 

Q. What is Gyan Bharatam and why is it important? 
Gyan Bharatam is a national programme for manuscript preservation, digitisation and dissemination; its web portal and institutional MoUs establish a coordinated digital infrastructure to safeguard India’s manuscript knowledge legacy. 

Q. How did the Ministry link heritage to livelihoods in 2025? 
Through initiatives like Kalagram, Sewa Parv and the Tribal Business Conclave, the Ministry promoted artisanship, created market linkages and organised capacity-building forums to translate heritage into sustainable livelihoods.