Hoysala Temples in Karnataka finalised as India's nomination for World Heritage List for 2022-2023
New Delhi, Jan 31: The Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in Karnataka have been finalised as India's nomination for World Heritage List for the year 2022-2023, the Union Culture Ministry said on Monday.
The 'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala' are on UNESCO's Tentative list since April 15, 2014, and stand testimony to the rich historical and cultural heritage of this country.
On Monday, Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO Vishal V Sharma formally submitted the nomination of Hoysala Temples to UNESCO Director of World Heritage Lazare Eloundou.
Following the submission of the dossier, technical scrutiny will be carried out.
In a tweet, Sharma said, "India is proud to nominate The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas for UNESCO's World Heritage List! Art historians recognize the exceptional sculptural artistry of the ensembles to be among the masterpieces of Asian art."
The site evaluation will happen in September/October this year and the dossier will be taken up for consideration in July/August next year.
G Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of Northeastern Region, said, "This is a great moment for India to see the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas temples being submitted for inscription in the World Heritage List."
"The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to both 'vikas' and 'virasat' (heritage).
"Our efforts in protecting our heritage is evident from the work the government has been putting in inscribing both our tangible and intangible heritage and also repatriating the cultural heritage that was stolen or taken away from India," the Minister added.
All the three Hoysala temples are protected monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India and therefore their conservation and maintenance will be done by its, culture ministry said.
The state government will ensure the conservation of state-protected monuments which are around these three monuments since it would add to the visual integrity of the place, it said.
भारत को @UNESCO की विश्व विरासत सूची के लिए "होयसाल के पवित्र कलाकारों की टुकड़ी" को नामित करते हुए गर्व हो रहा है।@UNESCO ದ ವಿಶ್ವ ಪರಂಪರೆಯ ಪಟ್ಟಿಯ ಪಟ್ಟಿಗೆ "ಹೊಯ್ಸಳರ ಪವಿತ್ರ ಮೇಳಗಳನ್ನು" ನಾಮನಿರ್ದೇಶನ ಮಾಡಲು ಭಾರತವು ಹೆಮ್ಮೆಪಡುತ್ತದೆ.
— Vishal V. Sharma 🇮🇳 (@VishalVSharma7) January 31, 2022
Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid & Somnathapura in Karnataka finalized as India’s nomination for consideration as World Heritage for the year 2022-2023 pic.twitter.com/0b8N7dJyyn
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2022
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
