INTACH
India's largest non-governmental heritage organisation, responsible for documenting unlisted heritage, the INTACH Charter and professional capacity-building in conservation.
INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) is a membership-based, not-for-profit organisation established in 1984 for the protection, promotion and documentation of India's natural and cultural heritage. Headquartered in New Delhi with chapter offices in most major Indian cities, INTACH is the largest heritage organisation in India by membership.
INTACH's most significant programmes include: the Heritage Listings programme (district-by-district surveys documenting unlisted heritage structures); the INTACH Charter (2004, the professional conservation standard for unlisted heritage); and the INTACH Heritage Academy (training programmes in conservation practice, documentation and heritage management).
INTACH does not have statutory powers — it cannot legally protect heritage, only advocate for it and document it. However, INTACH listing is increasingly referenced in local planning decisions, and the organisation's technical assistance is sought by conservation projects, government bodies and heritage owners across India.