Abbreviation | INTACH |
---|---|
Formation | 27 January 1984 |
Type | NGO |
Purpose | Art, Cultural and Heritage Preservation/Restoration |
Headquarters | 71, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi - 110003 |
Website | www |
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is a non-profit charitable organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. [1] [2]
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was founded in 1984, in New Delhi, with the vision to create a membership organisation to stimulate and spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India.
Since 1984, INTACH has pioneered the conservation and protection of India's natural and cultural heritage and is today the largest membership organisation in the country dedicated to conservation.
Today it has chapters in 215 Indian cities, as well as chapters in Belgium [3] and the United Kingdom.
The Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations of INTACH constituted the first Governing Council of the Trust with the following members: Rajiv Gandhi, Pupul Jayakar, L. K. Jha, M. G. K. Menon, Kapila Vatsyayan, Rajeev Sethi, B. K. Thapar, Martand Singh, Bilkees I. Latif, Madhavrao Scindia, and J. B. Dadachanji.
In 2007, INTACH signed a memorandum of understanding with AusHeritage, Australia's noted heritage network, to collaborate on South Asian and South East Asian regional initiatives. [4]
Among the tasks undertaken by INTACH are restoration of monuments and their management; advocacy for heritage property conservation; public awareness through heritage walks and buses; [5] establishment of heritage clubs in schools; [6] and holding of awareness workshop for teachers of schools and colleges [7] [8] and heritage walks to various unprotected sites. [9] [10]
INTACH has been involved in several protests against destruction [11] and proposed to stop demolition of heritage structures, including Errum Manzil [12] and Osmania Hospital [13] in Hyderabad, and Janata Bazaar in Bengaluru. [14] [15]
Over the years, INTACH has taken up restoration and protection of hundreds of monuments that fall outside the coverage of Archaeological Survey of India and other government agencies, [16] and at times local authorities hand over the upkeep and restoration of heritage structures to INTACH directly. [17]
After developing Raghurajpur, Odisha, India, a place famous for its master ‘Pattachitra’ artists and ‘Gotipua’ dance troupes as a heritage village, which has now become a major rural tourist destination, it later used the same pattern to develop Padmanabhpur village, Ganjam district, Odisha, India, famous for its weavers and folk dancers, into another heritage destination.
In 2007, the government of Goa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with INTACH for restoration, conservation and maintenance of 51 officially listed heritage and cultural monuments in the state. This includes the restoration and conservation of the 16th century Reis Magos Fort in Goa, [2] [18] [19] then in 2008, INTACH signed anouth a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Delhi for the conservation of 92 monuments in Delhi, in the preparation of the Commonwealth Games 2010. [20]
The INTACH Logo, based on the anthropomorphic copper figure from Shahabad, Uttar Pradesh, belonging to the enigmatic Copper Hoards of the Ganga Valley (circa 1800—1700 BC) is the perceived brand image of INTACH. The classic simplicity and vitality of its lines make it a striking example of primitive man's creative genius. [22]
INTACH's mission [23] to conserve heritage is based on the belief that living in harmony with heritage enhances the quality of life, and it is the duty of every citizen of India as laid down in the Constitution of India. The objectives spelt out in the Memorandum of Association constitute INTACH's Mandate and Vision. Its stated mission to date continues to be:
To achieve the above-stated mission, at subsequent Visioning Exercises further measures were spelt out:
INTACH bestows the following awards:
INTACH has established chapters not only within India but also outside it. It now uses funds raised by its international chapters in Belgium and the United Kingdom, to take up restoration, conservation and protection projects of historical structures and heritage buildings across India. [2]
The INTACH UK Trust, established in 1987, is a registered charity in the United Kingdom funded by the Charles Wallace bequest. The aim of this trust is to support the cause of heritage conservation in India.
Its two main activities are:
In recent years INTACH has been fortunate to receive support from the central government and several state governments, corporate houses and international agencies.
Nizamuddin Dargah is the dargah (mausoleum) of the Sufi saint Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya. Situated in the Nizamuddin West area of Delhi, the dargah is visited by thousands of pilgrims every week. The site is also known for its evening qawwali devotional music sessions. The descendants of Nizamuddin Auliya look after the whole management of dargah Sharif.
Isha Foundation is a nonprofit, spiritual organisation that was founded in 1992 near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, by Sadhguru. It hosts the Isha Yoga Centre, which offers yoga programs under the name Isha Yoga. The foundation is run "almost entirely" by volunteers. The word isha means "the formless divine".
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a family of institutions created by Aga Khan IV with distinct but complementary mandates to improve the welfare and prospects of people in the developing world, particularly in Asia and Africa. It focuses on the revitalization of communities in the Muslim world—physical, social, cultural, and economic. The AKTC was founded in 1988 and is registered in Geneva, Switzerland, as a private non-denominational philanthropic foundation.
Errum Manzil or Iram Manzil is an expansive palace standing in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was built around the year 1870 by Nawab Safdar Jung Musheer-ud-daula Fakhrul Mulk, a nobleman of Hyderabad state. It is located on top of a hillock off the Khairatabad - Panjagutta road.
Hill Fort Palace, also known as Ritz Hotel, is a royal palace located in Naubhat Pahad, Hyderabad, Telangana. The property is now owned by Government of Telangana, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation.
Osmania General Hospital (OGH) is one of the oldest hospitals in India located at Afzal Gunj, Hyderabad and is named after its founder – Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad. It is run by the Government of Telangana, and is one of the largest in the state. It was built at a construction cost of ₹2,00,00,000.
The tiger reserves of India were set up in 1973 and are governed under Project Tiger, which is administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India. Tiger reserves were designated in 50 protected areas until 2018. In 2022, the 53rd tiger reserve was declared in Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, and the State's third tiger reserve.
Barakhamba, also known as Barakhamba Monument, is a 14th-century tomb building from the Tughlaq period that is located in New Delhi, India. Barakhamba means '12 Pillars' in Urdu and Hindi languages. The name has also been used for an upscale modern metro road named the "Barakhamba road" in Connaught Place at the heart of the city.
The Heritage Conservation Committee under HUDA was formed by state government in 1981 to retain architectural, historical and social value of buildings. Hyderabad Urban Development Authority has listed almost 160 buildings in Hyderabad in Telangana state as heritage structures. Almost 70% of heritage buildings are in private hands. Heritage structures include buildings, monuments, rock structures etc.
Karingamannu Kuzhiyil Muhammed is an Indian archaeologist who served as the Regional Director (North) of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Muhammed is credited for the discovery of Ibadat Khana, as well as various prominent Buddhist Stupas and Monuments. During his career, he undertook the restoration of the Bateshwar Complex, successfully convincing naxal insurgents and dacoits to cooperate, as well as facelift and restoration of the Dantewada and Bhojeshwar temples.
Amar Singh College is an academic and professional college in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is the second oldest college in the Kashmir Valley after Sri Pratap College.
National Geological Monuments are geographical areas of national importance and heritage, as notified by the Government of India's Geological Survey of India (GSI), for their maintenance, protection, promotion and enhancement of geotourism.
A distinct Indo-Islamic architecture style with local contribution is reflected in the historical buildings of Hyderabad, making it the first and "Best Heritage City of India" as of March 2012. The city houses many famous historical sites constructed during Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi period, including various mosques and palaces.
The Irrum Manzil Metro Station is a station of the Hyderabad Metro.
Aishwarya Tipnis is an Indian architect, educator and heritage conservationist, whose eponymous practice Aishwarya Tipnis Architects focuses on heritage conservation of neglected monuments and significant buildings of India. In 2015, her work on the century-old Main Building of The Doon School received the Honourable Mention under the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. In 2016, the firm's restoration work on the walls and bastions of the 18th-century Mahidpur Fort, in Madhya Pradesh, was given the Award of Merit under the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards. In 2018, she became the youngest architect to be appointed the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for her preservation work of French heritage in India, particularly Chandernagore in West Bengal. Tipnis was part of the UNESCO Expert Team for preparing the Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. She has been recognised as a Global Cultural Leader by the European Union in 2016.
The Palika Kendra is a 21-story building on Sansad Marg, New Delhi, India. Designed by Kuldip Singh and Mahendra Raj, it is among the few structures in Delhi that feature Brutalist architecture. After its inauguration in 1984 with a height of 91 metres (299 ft), it remained one of the tallest buildings in Delhi for years. It serves as the headquarters of the New Delhi Municipal Council and hosts the main server and the command and control centre of the civic body.
Vikas Dilawari is an Indian conservation architect who has restored at-risk monuments and heritage buildings in Mumbai, including the Victoria Terminus, Rajabai Clock Tower, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Wellington Fountain and Christ Church, Byculla. 16 restoration projects carried out by his team have been recognised by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, including the 2019 work on the Flora Fountain, which was designed by architect Richard Norman Shaw and completed in 1864.
Saleem Beg is an Indian art conservator, historian and columnist. He is working to conserve / preserve the artworks, architecture, archaeology, besides museum collections mainly connected to Kashmir heritage. He prepared the research dossier of seven crafts include papier-mache, pashmina, Khatamband, Woodwork, Pinjrakari (latticework), Ari and Metal craft which placed the Srinagar city of Jammu and Kashmir in the list of UNESCO creative cities network for 2021, in the field of craft and folk art.
Sohail Hashmi is an oral historian of Delhi, social activist, film-maker and heritage conservationist.
Swapna Liddle is an Indian historian, author, art curator and heritage conservator based in Delhi.