About PRBH
Empowering Communities to Preserve Rural Buddhist Heritage
The Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development (ITRHD) is a pioneering organization dedicated to conserving and revitalizing India’s rural and tribal heritage. Central to its mission is the Academy for Preservation of Rural Buddhist Heritage (PRBH), an initiative designed to protect and promote India’s lesser-known rural Buddhist sites, which are rich in cultural, spiritual, and historical significance. Through this initiative, ITRHD aims not only to preserve these invaluable heritage assets but also to foster sustainable economic and social development in which the communities are its stewards.
The Academy for Preservation of Rural Buddhist Heritage (PRBH) will focus on training professionals, both under-graduate and post-graduate, researchers, and local stakeholders in conserving unprotected rural Buddhist sites. Combining academic rigor with hands-on strategies, the academy seeks to integrate heritage conservation with sustainable economic development, ensuring these sites become thriving cultural and economic assets for the communities.This will contribute to the larger development objectives of the country and integrate it with the worldwide interest in the continuing legacy of Buddhism.
To advance this vision, ITRHD is organizing an International Conference on the Preservation of Rural Buddhist Heritage (PRBH) from November 28th -30th, 2025, at the Dr.Ambedkar International Center (DAIC), New Delhi.
The Conference will bring together national and global experts to discuss ancient architectural traditions, tangible and intangible heritage resources, innovative conservation practices, and community empowerment through heritage-based development.
Collaborating institutions include the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Dr.Ambedkar International Center (DAIC), the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA, Delhi), International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), Buddhist Academy and Buddhist Monuments Development Council (BABMDC), International Buddhist Association of America (IBAA) and Gautam Buddha University (GBU, Noida).
Through this initiative ITRHD envisions a futuristic strategy for rural transformation that is linked to the imperatives of sustainable development practices, and integrated with the preservation of local heritage resources.
To advance this vision, ITRHD is organizing an International Conference on the Preservation of Rural Buddhist Heritage (PRBH) from November 28th -30th, 2025, at the Dr.Ambedkar International Center (DAIC), New Delhi.
The Conference will bring together national and global experts to discuss ancient architectural traditions, tangible and intangible heritage resources, innovative conservation practices, and community empowerment through heritage-based development.
Collaborating institutions include the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Dr.Ambedkar International Center (DAIC), the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA, Delhi), International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), Buddhist Academy and Buddhist Monuments Development Council (BABMDC), International Buddhist Association of America (IBAA) and Gautam Buddha University (GBU, Noida).
Through this initiative ITRHD envisions a futuristic strategy for rural transformation that is linked to the imperatives of sustainable development practices, and integrated with the preservation of local heritage resources.
Our Mission :
Establishing a multi-disciplinary Rural Heritage Conservation and Development Training Institute (Institute), to train administrators, academics and professionals on the one hand, and on the other, skilled workers, civil society interlocutors in the fields of tourism and development, and local residents, to engage with the many dimensions of the challenges that this initiative demands.
Our Vision:
To be a global leader in preserving rural heritage, blending ancient traditions with modern solutions to inspire community-driven conservation and cultural sustainability. ITRHD uses heritage as a catalyst to promote development in rural India. This project envisions to empower communities by fostering knowledge, resources, and collaboration to preserve and protect the rich heritage of rural Buddhist sites, ensuring their legacy for future generations. Further, ITRHD wants to redefine the conservation policies and practices that define both the tangible and intangible characteristics of the built environment and its symbiotic relationship with the ethos of local societies.
