VISWA BHARTI UNIVERSITY

6th February, 2023 Culture

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Context: Founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921, Visva-Bharati University will soon get the ‘heritage’ tag from UNESCO to take the distinction of world’s first living heritage university.

Details:

Visva Bharti University:

When founded in 1921 on 1,130 acres of land, it was named after Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore until Visva-Bharati Society was registered as an organisation in May 1922.
Rabindranath donated some of his property, including land and a bungalow, to the society.
Until Independence, it was a college and the institution was given the status of Central University in 1951 through a central Act.
Its first vice-chancellor was Rathindranath Tagore, the son of Rabindranath Tagore, and the second vice-chancellor was grandfather of another Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen.
Rabindranath believed in open-air education and introduced that system at the university, which prevails to date.
According to UNESCO website: “In 1922, Visva-Bharati was inaugurated as a Centre for Culture with exploration into the arts, language, humanities, music and these are reflected in diverse institutes that continue in their educational programmes, which are based on the founding principles of excellence in culture and culture studies.
As originally intended, these serve as institutes for Hindi studies (Hindi Bhavan), Sino-Asian studies (Cheena Bhavan), centre for humanities (Vidya Bhavan), institute of fine arts (Kala Bhavan), and music (Sangit Bhavan).”
Visva-Bharati was declared to be a Central University and an institution of national importance by an Act of Parliament in 1951.
The President of India is the Paridarsaka (Visitor) of the University, the Governor of West Bengal is the Pradhana (Rector), and the Prime Minister of India acts as the Acharya (Chancellor).
The President of India appoints the Upacharya (Vice-chancellor) of the University.

What are World Heritage Sites?

It is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance.
As per the ‘Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage’1972, UNESCO seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
As of July 2021, a total of 1,154 World Heritage Sites (897 cultural, 218 natural, and 39 mixed properties) exist across 167 countries. With 58 selected areas, Italy is the country with the most sites on the list.
Categories: A World Heritage Site can be either cultural or natural areas objectswhich are inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List for having “outstanding universal value”.
These sites are usually considered to have cultural significance to all the people in the world, including future generations.

How are they selected?

According to The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, a country must first list its significant cultural and natural sites into a document known as the Tentative List.
The sites selected from that list move onto the Nomination File, which is then evaluated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the World Conservation Union.
Any site that wasn’t first included in the Tentative List cannot be nominated.
The two bodies then make their recommendations to the World Heritage Committee, which consists of diplomatic representatives from 21 countries.
The committee meets each year to decide whether a nominated property can be inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The committee makes the final decision if a site meets at least one of the ten selection criteria.

Can a site lose its designation?

A site may lose its designation when the World Heritage Committee determines if it is not properly maintained or protected.
It is first placed in the list of World Heritage in Danger as the Committee attempts to find a remedy involving the local authorities. If any remedies fail, the designation is revoked.
A country can also request the Committee to partially or fully delist a property, generally in such cases when its condition has seriously deteriorated.

How many World Heritage Sites are in India?

There are currently 32 cultural, seven natural and one mixed World Heritage Sites in India.
Oldest sites: Agra Fort, Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, and Taj Mahal made it to the list in 1983.
Latest sites: The latest sites to be added to the list Dholavira in Gujarat, Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple in Telangana in 2021.
There are 46 sites in the Tentative List including a group of monuments at Mandu and the historic ensemble of Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, Satpura tiger reserve, temples of Kanchipuram, temples at Bishnupur in West Bengal, and Sri Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab.

Indian Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List (40)

Cultural (32)

Agra Fort (1983)
Ajanta Caves (1983)
Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar (2016)
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)
Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
Dholavira: a Harappan City (2021)
Elephanta Caves (1987)
Ellora Caves (1983)
Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
Great Living Chola Temples (1987,2004)
Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)
Hill Forts of Rajasthan (2013)
Historic City of Ahmadabad (2017)
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)
Jaipur City, Rajasthan (2019)
Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana (2021)
Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
Mountain Railways of India (1999,2005,2008)
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (2014)
Red Fort Complex (2007)
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)
Taj Mahal (1983)
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016)
The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (2018)