Conservation is not anti-development, it’s a science and an art, says Ratish Nanda of Aga Khan Trust
Ratish Nanda delivering a lecture on the 88th birth anniversary of Shankar Dayal Singh at the IIC
Krishan Murari | ThePrint
Media Source: The Print (India)
Date: 5 January 2026
For conservation architect Ratish Nanda, historic monuments are the most important and visible symbol of any ancient civilisation. But he is disappointed with the state of conservation in India. “In our country, we often think that conservation is anti-development, but it’s a science and an art,” said Nanda…
For conservation architect Ratish Nanda, historic monuments are the most important and visible symbol of any ancient civilisation. But he is disappointed with the state of conservation in India. “In our country, we often think that conservation is anti-development, but it’s a science and an art,” said Nanda, Projects Director of Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in India, who was instrumental in restoring Humayun’s Tomb and the Sunder Nursery in Delhi. Nanda was delivering a lecture titled ‘Conservation-led Development in India.’ “In India, there are around 10,000 monuments that are protected either by the central government or the state government. In a smaller country such as the United Kingdom, this number is 6.5 lakh (650,000) whereas in New York City, there are 30,000 protected buildings, - three times more than in India,” said Nanda.