Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar to Visit France to Receive UNESCO World Heritage Certificate for 12 Forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at UNESCO Headquarters

Mumbai, Feb 2026 : Twelve forts built during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of Hindavi Swarajya, have been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. To formally receive the official UNESCO World Heritage certificate, Maharashtra’s Minister for Cultural Affairs, Adv. Ashish Shelar, will depart for France tonight along with an official delegation.

Adv. Shelar will be in Paris from February 11 to February 16, 2026, where he will participate in several important programmes. During the visit, he will pay tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at a special ceremony held at UNESCO headquarters, where a half-bust statue of Dr. Ambedkar has been installed by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra.

After an extensive process spanning nearly one and a half years, UNESCO, at its 47th session held on July 11, 2025, accorded World Heritage status to 12 forts from the era of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj under the title “Maratha Military Landscapes of India.” The official certificate recognising this honour will now be formally accepted in Paris by the delegation led by Adv. Shelar.

The network of forts envisioned and developed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to defend Hindavi Swarajya, ensure secure governance, and promote public welfare is regarded as a unique example of military strategy and statecraft in Indian history. The group of 12 forts—Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Panhala, Shivneri, Lohagad, Salher, Sindhudurg, Suvarnadurg, Vijaydurg, Khanderi, and Gingee in Tamil Nadu—has now gained global recognition as a World Heritage Site. In February 2025, a four-member delegation of the Maharashtra government, led by Adv. Shelar, had presented a detailed technical and strategic case before UNESCO in Paris to secure this prestigious recognition. The upcoming visit to formally accept the certificate marks a historic moment, symbolising global सम्मान (honour) for the valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the legacy of the Maratha Empire.

During the tour, Adv. Shelar will also hold separate meetings with the Director-General of UNESCO, subject experts, and India’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Vishal Sharma. Discussions will focus on other proposed heritage sites from Maharashtra. The minister expressed confidence that this visit would strengthen ongoing efforts to secure World Heritage recognition for the Konkan rock art, Maharashtra’s coastal forts, and intangible cultural heritage traditions such as the Pandharpur Wari, Ganeshotsav, and Dahi Handi.

Additionally, the delegation will study renowned museums in Paris as part of preparations for the proposed international-standard ‘Maharashtra Museum’ being developed at Bandra, Mumbai. The visit will include an examination of museum management practices, exhibition design, and the use of digital technologies to enrich the proposed museum.

On the occasion of 75 years of the Indian Constitution, the Government of Maharashtra gifted a half-bust statue of Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar to UNESCO. The statue was installed at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Constitution Day, November 26, 2025. Dr. Ambedkar’s ideals of social justice, equality, fraternity, and empowerment through education align closely with UNESCO’s core mission. Adv. Shelar will pay homage to Dr. Ambedkar during a special tribute ceremony in Paris.

Calling the tribute a moment of national pride, Adv. Shelar said that honouring Dr. Ambedkar in Paris highlights the values of Indian democracy on a global platform. He added that the visit would further strengthen Maharashtra’s cultural heritage, tourism potential, and international standing.