Good news in the beginning of the Indian New Year – manuscripts of the Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra have found a place among 74 new documentary heritage collections that have been added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. With this, there are now 570 collections inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. According to UNESCO’s official website, the Memory of the World Register lists documentary heritage which has been recommended by the International Advisory Committee and endorsed by the Executive Board as corresponding to the selection criteria regarding world significance and outstanding universal value. Inscription on the Register publicly affirms the significance of the documentary heritage, makes it better known and allows for greater access to it, thereby facilitating research, education, entertainment, and preservation over time. The UNESCO website also says that the world’s documentary heritage belongs to the entire human race and thus should be fully preserved and protected for all. Moreover, with due recognition of cultural mores and practicalities, such documentary heritage should be permanently accessible to all without hindrance. It is also important to note that UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme aims to (i) facilitate preservation of the world’s documentary heritage, particularly in areas affected by conflict and natural disaster; (ii) enable universal access to documentary heritage worldwide; and (iii) enhance public awareness about the significance of documentary heritage among the wider public. It is interesting to note that UNESCO had launched the Memory of the World Programme in 1992 in order to guard against collective amnesia, calling upon the preservation of the valuable archive holdings and library collections all over the world and ensuring their wide dissemination. It has been stated that documentary heritage is a legacy of humankind, through which one can look back into the past, enrich present lives, and look into the future with the boldness forged by enduring memories. It is through keeping this in mind that the human race as a whole must be vigilant to safeguard its shared heritage, celebrate it as a marker of human civilization, and pass it on to the next generation. Documentary heritage is also considered an important ingredient of sustainable development, linking all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the cultural fabrics that hold societies together. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X on Friday, has described the inscriptions as “a proud moment for every Indian across the world”. As he has said, the inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita and Natya Shastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is a global recognition of the timeless wisdom and rich culture of India. The Gita and Natyashastra have nurtured civilisation and consciousness for centuries, and their insights continue to inspire the world. Described as timeless works, the Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra are more than literary treasures; they are philosophical and aesthetic foundations that have shaped India’s worldview and the way Indian people think, feel, live, and express themselves.