Ministry of Culture

The Ministry of Culture is responsible for the preservation, protection, and promotion of India’s rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It functions through two attached offices, six subordinate offices, and several autonomous organizations.

The Ministry supports seven Zonal Cultural Centres to promote regional folk and traditional arts, and implements key initiatives such as the National Mission for Manuscripts, National Mission for Monuments and Antiquities, National Mission on Libraries, and the Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission. It also oversees centrally protected monuments through the Archaeological Survey of India and administers major national museums while promoting regional museums through grants-in-aid.

In the field of intangible heritage, the Ministry provides financial assistance to artists and cultural organizations and recognizes excellence through institutions such as the Sahitya Akademi and the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Institutions like the National School of Drama contribute to promoting theatre and cultural education.

The Ministry is also the custodian of major libraries and archival records through the National Archives of India, supports capacity-building institutions, promotes Buddhist and Tibetan cultural heritage, and represents India internationally by organizing Festivals of India abroad and implementing UNESCO conventions.