Bhubaneswar: The Buddhist sites of Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri in Odisha’s Jajpur district have been included in UNESCO’s tentative India list for consideration of ‘World Heritage Site’ status.
In a letter to Vishal V Sharma, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of India to UNESCO, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, confirmed that India submitted the documentation on December 22, 2025. Since the proposal met the Operational Guidelines, UNESCO updated the Tentative List of India to include these culturally significant sites.
The ‘Diamond Triangle’ involving these sites is believed to have witnessed propagation of all three schools of Buddhism: Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana.
As per information, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the nodal agency for the World Heritage Convention on behalf of India, compiled the related documents and submitted the nomination to the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO through Vishal V Sharma. The centre recently informed Sharma about the addition of the ‘serial nomination’ of the ‘Diamond Triangle’ sites of Odisha to India’s tentative list.
A senior archaeologist of the ASI said a site’s entry to the tentative list is a mandatory requirement for it to be nominated for inscription into the ‘World Heritage List’ in the future.
It may be noted that Jajpur MP Rabindra Narayan Behera had met the Union Culture Minister and Director General of the ASI and requested them to take necessary steps for the inclusion of these locations in the list of World Heritage sites. Behera, who had also raised the issue relating to these Buddhist sites in Parliament, welcomed their inclusion in the tentative list.
This decision was welcomed by Maheswar Bal, Convenor-Secretary of the Udayagiri Buddha Mahotsav Samity, and Badachana MLA Amar Nayak.
The Buddhist Triangle of Odisha represents one of India’s most important archaeological and spiritual landscapes. Moreover, the sites showcase the rich legacy of Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. They feature monasteries, stupas, sculptures, and inscriptions that emphasise Odisha’s pivotal role in spreading Buddhism across Asia.
This recognition marks a significant step toward securing full World Heritage status for the Buddhist Triangle. Furthermore, it underscores India’s commitment to preserving and promoting its cultural heritage while strengthening global awareness of Odisha’s historical importance.
The inclusion of Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, and Lalitgiri in the Tentative List will also boost heritage tourism, research, and conservation efforts in the region. In addition, it aligns with India’s broader strategy to highlight diverse cultural landscapes under the World Heritage Convention.
