Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage

Abbreviation	INTACH
Formation	1984
Type	NGO
Purpose/focus	Art, Cultural, architectural heritage preservation/restoration
Headquarters	Delhi
Website	Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), established in 1984 is an autonomous non-governmental Indian NGO that seeks to preserve Indian Art and Cultural heritage. In 2007, United Nations awarded INTACH with a special consultative status with United Nations Economic and Social Council

History

It was founded in 1984 with Rajiv Gandhi, as its first chairman and its headquarters are in New Delhi , and today it has chapters in 117 Indian cities, plus in Belgium, UK and USA . INTACH is the only non-governmental Indian non-profit society working for the awareness, and conservation of Indian culture, shodnatmak prakriya and heritage.

In 2007, INTACH signed a memorandum of understanding with 'AusHeritage', Australia's noted heritage network, to collaborate on South Asian and South East Asia regional initiatives .

Overview

Among the task undertaken by INTACH including restoration of the monuments and their management, advocacy for heritage property conservation, public awareness through heritage walks and buses , and setting up heritage clubs in schools , and holding awareness workshop for teachers of schools and colleges , and even for the guides at various heritage sites .

Over the years, INTACH has taken up restoration and protection of hundreds of monuments, which falls outside the coverage of Archeological Survey of India and other government agencies, , and at times local authorities handover the upkeep and restoration of heritage structures to INTACH directly .

Over the years, it has established chapters not only within the nation but also outside it, now it uses funds mobilized by its international chapters in Belgium, United Kingdom and US, to take up restoration, conservation and protection project of historical structures and heritage buildings across India . After developing Raghurajpur, Orissa, a place famous for its master ‘Pattachitra’ artists and ‘Gotipua’ dance troupes as a heritage village, which has now become a major rural tourist destination , it later used the same pattern to develop Padmanabhpur village, Ganjam district, Orissa, famous for its weavers and folk dancers, into another heritage destination.

In 2007, Goa Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with INTACH, restoration, conservation and maintenance of 51 officially listed heritage and cultural monuments in the state, this include the restoration and conservation of the 16th century Reis Magos Fort in Goa , then in 2008, INTACH signed anouth a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Delhi for the conservation of 92 monuments in Delhi, in the preparation of the Commonwealth Games 2010 ^[16].

INTACH Heritage Award

To promote and encourage conservation projects and people, each year it gives away the Annual INTACH Heritage Award, established in 1996 , for outstanding feats in conservation of heritage structures in various cities