PRESERVATION OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

• Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) = living traditions (oral, performing arts, rituals, festive events, craftsmanship, knowledge of nature) transmitted across generations, as defined under UNESCO's 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH.
• India has 16 elements inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the latest being Garba of Gujarat (2023).
• Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, is the nodal agency for ICH; preparing dossiers, maintaining inventories, and running safeguarding schemes.
• Recurring GS-I (Indian Culture) and GS-II (international institutions) hook.