The upcoming conference will highlight India’s neglected rural Buddhist heritage and introduce the world’s first dedicated academy focused on conservation, restoration, and community-led rural development.
New Delhi, 21 November 2025:
The Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development (ITRHD), established in 2010, held a pre-event press briefing on Friday at WWF-India, New Delhi, unveiling details of the International Conference on Preservation of Rural Buddhist Heritage (PRBH). The conference is set to take place from 28–30 November 2025 at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. PRBH is designed to encourage global engagement on the protection of India’s overlooked rural Buddhist sites and promote a model where heritage conservation strengthens sustainable rural development.
During the briefing, ITRHD elaborated on the conference’s themes, introduced a distinguished roster of international speakers, and presented the vision for the proposed Academy for Rural Heritage Conservation and Development Training at Nagarjunakonda, Andhra Pradesh. This pioneering academy will be the world’s first institution dedicated solely to conserving unprotected rural Buddhist heritage—while linking preservation efforts with community empowerment and livelihood creation.
Addressing the media, Shri S. K. Misra, Chairman of ITRHD and the guiding force behind this initiative, remarked:
“Our mission goes beyond safeguarding ancient Buddhist remains. We aim to rebuild and uplift the rural communities that have nurtured this heritage for generations. The proposed Academy will emerge as a global center for research, training, and on-ground conservation, ensuring heritage protection aligns with development.”
In a video message, His Eminence Kyabje Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche II, Spiritual Throne Holder of Tabo Monastery and a keynote speaker at PRBH, praised ITRHD’s vision. He expressed happiness over the initiative to establish an academy devoted to rural Buddhist culture and heritage, and lauded the organization for bringing together global experts and practitioners for this cause.
Senior leaders from the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), School of Planning and Architecture, and Gautam Buddha University joined ITRHD at the conference. They highlighted the critical need to preserve India’s vast yet neglected rural Buddhist heritage and emphasized the role of heritage conservation in advancing inclusive rural development.
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