The list of World Heritage Sites is maintained by the international ‘World Heritage Programme’. It was administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. This treaty was adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

On  14 November 1977, India accepted the convention and made its sites eligible for inclusion on the list. The first sites to be inscribed were Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, and Taj Mahal. At present, there are 40 World Heritage Sites located in India. Out of these, 32 are cultural, 7 are natural, and 1 is mixed. India has the sixth-largest number of sites in the world.

The List of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in India are: 

1. Agra Fort
2. Ajanta Caves
3. Ellora Caves
4. Taj Mahal
5. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
6. Sun Temple, Konârak
7. Kaziranga National Park
8. Keoladeo National Park
9. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
10. Churches and Convents of Goa
11. Fatehpur Sikri
12. Group of Monuments at Hampi
13. Khajuraho Group of Monuments
14. Elephanta Caves
15. Great Living Chola Temples 13
16. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
17. Sundarbans National Park
18. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
19. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
20. Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
21. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
22. Mountain Railways of India
23. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya
24. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka
25. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
26. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)
27. Red Fort Complex
28. The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
29. Western Ghats
30. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
31. Great Himalayan National Park-Conservation Area
32. Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat
33. Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
34. Khangchendzonga National Park
35. The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement *
36. Historic City of Ahmadabad
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Jaipur City, Rajasthan
39. Dholavira: a Harappan City
40. Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana