• Rabindranath Tagore’s “abode of peace” Santiniketan, which embodies the poet’s vision of a place of learning that transcends religious and regional boundaries, was officially recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the 41st in India and third in Bengal.

International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is a France-based international body dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of global architecture and heritage. Secretariat- Paris

• The decision to include Santiniketan on this prestigious list was made by members of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) at the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in

ABOUT SANTINIKETAN

• It is a town located in Birbhum district of West Bengal.
• It was established by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore in 1862, father of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Later, Rabindranath Tagore envisioned it as a university town and established a school.
• It was set up in 1901 and called Brahmachary Ashram (was later called Patha Bhavan).
• He also established Sriniketan (for rural reconstruction) Kala Bhavan, Sangit Bhavan (cultural institutions) and Visva Bharati university(1921) at Santiniketan.
  • Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan is Bengal’s only central university whose chancellor is the Prime Minister.
• Shantiniketan was founded on the principles of the ancient Indian Gurukul system, where education was provided in a natural setting, fostering a strong connection between students and their environment.