Overview

• In his 124th ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, Modi celebrated UNESCO’s July 11 inscription of the 12 Maratha forts as the ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ and urged Indians to explore them.
• He highlighted Salher, Shivneri, Khanderi, Pratapgarh and Vijaydurg forts for their roles in key Maratha victories and architectural innovations.
• The UNESCO listing, India’s 44th World Heritage property, spans 11 forts in Maharashtra and the Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
• On July 16, Maharashtra submitted a 10-year conservation blueprint detailing infrastructure upgrades, waste control and local site management to safeguard the forts’ heritage value.
• Modi framed heritage tourism as a way to foster cultural pride, bolster local economies and ensure community stewardship under UNESCO and ICOMOS guidelines.