India's heritage gaining global recognition, Modi tells Brihattar Bharat meet
Representative image: PDPics / Pixabay
At the October 14, 2026 opening of IGNCA's Brihattar Bharat conference marking the Greater India Society's centenary, PM Modi said India's heritage is gaining global recognition.
What Happened
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India's cultural heritage is receiving growing recognition around the world, in a message to the opening session of the "Brihattar Bharat" international conference on India's cultural connections across the globe, held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. The message was read out at the inaugural session by Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal, with Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat present. The three-day conference, organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), marks the centenary of the Greater India Society, also known as the Brihattar Bharat Parishad, which was founded in Calcutta on October 14, 1926, with Rabindranath Tagore as its spiritual guide.
Key Facts
- Event: Brihattar Bharat international conference on Bharat's cultural connections across the globe, October 14 to 16, 2026, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
- Organiser: IGNCA, under the Brihattar Bharat Scheme (2026-2031) of the Ministry of Culture's global engagement programme.
- The Prime Minister's message, read by Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal, said India's cultural heritage is gaining international recognition.
- Modi said India's music, dance, cinema and cuisine continue to connect the country with societies around the world.
- He also said efforts to bring back Indian antiquities from abroad have gained renewed momentum.
- Delegates, ambassadors and scholars from about 50 countries, including China, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal and Iran, are expected to take part.
- The conference marks 100 years since the Greater India Society was set up in Calcutta on October 14, 1926.
Why It Matters
The Greater India Society was founded a century ago by a generation of Indian scholars interested in India's cultural links with other lands. IGNCA says the conference seeks to renew the intellectual work of the original society through fresh research, interdisciplinary perspectives and international collaboration.
For students and scholars of Indian knowledge systems, the conference is a chance to connect textual traditions, archaeology and art history with researchers from countries that share parts of that heritage. The presence of delegates from Mongolia, Japan, Nepal, Iran and China brings in perspectives from countries with long cultural contact with India.
The Prime Minister's mention of returning antiquities highlights a related policy priority. Recovering artefacts taken abroad is part of how the government frames the protection of India's heritage, and the conference adds an academic and diplomatic platform to that effort.
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Conference | Brihattar Bharat: India's cultural connections across the globe |
| Dates | October 14-16, 2026 |
| Venue | Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi |
| Organiser | IGNCA |
| Occasion | Centenary of the Greater India Society (founded October 14, 1926) |
Impact
Short-term: Over three days, scholars and diplomats will discuss India's historical and present-day cultural ties, with research presentations from participating countries.
Long-term: Under the 2026-2031 Brihattar Bharat Scheme, the conference could lead to joint research, exchanges and publications on India's cultural links with Asia and beyond.
Who is affected: Researchers in Indian studies, history and art, cultural institutions such as IGNCA, partner countries' academic communities, and students interested in India's knowledge traditions.
Key Takeaway
At the opening of a conference marking 100 years of the Greater India Society, Prime Minister Modi said India's cultural heritage is gaining global recognition and antiquity-return efforts have gained momentum.
Questions and Answers
What is the Brihattar Bharat conference?
It is an international conference on India's cultural connections across the globe, organised by IGNCA at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, from October 14 to 16, 2026.
What was the Greater India Society?
It was a society of scholars, also called the Brihattar Bharat Parishad, founded in Calcutta on October 14, 1926, with Rabindranath Tagore as its spiritual guide, to study India's cultural links with other lands.
What did Prime Minister Modi say?
In a message read by the Culture Secretary, he said India's cultural heritage is receiving growing international recognition, that its music, dance, cinema and cuisine connect it with societies worldwide, and that efforts to bring back antiquities have gained momentum.
Which countries are taking part?
Delegates from about 50 countries are expected, including China, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal and Iran.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
NIA Panchkula gets nod for 14 Ayurveda PG courses with 70 seats from 2026-27
Gujarat CM opens Vibrant Navratri Festival in Ahmedabad; Garba till October 20
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
