Preserving the Past, Building the Nation: A History of Heritage Conservation Pol

How did India’s 3,695 ‘monuments of national importance’ come under state protection? Who authored their historical noticeboards? For whom—and against whom—was heritage preserved? To what extent did conservation serve the project of nation-building?

Preserving the Past, Building the Nation offers the first comprehensive history of heritage conservation policy in post-independence India, focusing on the role of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It is the story of an ambitious generation of archaeologists trained in the waning hour of colonial rule, who set out to preserve the cultural heritage of a newly sovereign nation. The book details how a small number of experts shaped conservation as a scientific endeavour, sidelining its political and symbolic dimensions. State protection was enforced in a top-down manner, often in tension with local communities and religious practices. Chronic financial and bureaucratic constraints hindered forward-thinking reforms, perpetuating colonial legacies.

Drawing on an extensive study of ASI records, this book explores the bureaucratic machinery behind heritage management and the everyday work of ASI officers. It examines how decisions were made, implemented, and contested on the ground, and sheds light on alternative courses for Indian archaeology and conservation.