The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra have been inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
PM Modi, who often invokes India's civilisational values in global fora, took to social media to express his joy.
“A proud moment for every Indian across the world!" he declared. “The inclusion of the Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is a global recognition of our timeless wisdom and rich culture. The Gita and Natyashastra have nurtured civilisation, and consciousness for centuries. Their insights continue to inspire the world.”, he wrote.
The Memory of the World Register, initiated by UNESCO in 1992, is a prestigious list that safeguards documentary heritage of outstanding value.
The Bhagavad Gita..a philosophical dialogue between Lord Krishna and the warrior Arjuna has long been a cornerstone of spiritual inquiry. Revered across religions and philosophies, it speaks not only of dharma (duty) and karma (action), but of the human condition itself.
Meanwhile, Natyashastra, penned by ancient sage Bharat Muni, forms the bedrock of performing arts in India.
A synthesis of drama, dance, music, aesthetics and psychology, the treatise remains relevant to this day.
Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who first announced the development, described it as “a historic moment for Bharat’s civilisational heritage.”
In a statement on X, he said: “The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita & Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra are now inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. This global honour celebrates India’s eternal wisdom and artistic genius. These timeless works are more than literary treasures; they are philosophical and aesthetic foundations that have shaped Bharat’s world view and the way we think, feel, live, and express. With this, we now have 14 inscriptions from our country on this international register.”
This validation comes at a time when efforts to integrate ancient texts into modern education have gained momentum.
In February 2024, the Gujarat Assembly passed a resolution tabled by a BJP leader advocating the inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita in the school curriculum from Classes VI to XII. The resolution was passed unopposed.
Following that, Gujarat’s Education Minister Praful Pansheriya launched the “Vidyarthi Jeevan Pathdarshak Banshe Shreemad Bhagavad Gita” initiative, which translates to “Bhagavad Gita will become a guide to student life”, cementing the state's intention to actively teach the text’s moral and philosophical frameworks.
This development also follows on the heels of India’s literary recognition last year, when Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and Sahṛdayāloka-Locana were inducted into UNESCO's Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register.