New Delhi, Dec. 11 -- Deepavali, the festival of lights celebrated by millions across India and the diaspora, was on Wednesday inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - a milestone that comes as New Delhi hosts the ongoing session of the Intergovernmental Committee at the Red Fort. The recognition, arriving a year after Kolkata's Durga Puja made it to the global heritage register, marks a fresh international endorsement of India's living cultural traditions. In a rare gesture of unanimity at the committee meeting, UNESCO announced that the inscription was adopted with no request for debate, amendment or objection, and congratulated India for submitting a "perfect" dossier. The evaluation body, while endorsing the nomination, advised India to "maintain and amplify ecological and inclusive practices in the production of the festival" and recommended measures to "strengthen dissemination of the festival's elements in both digital and physical spaces." Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the inscription as a moment of collective pride. "For us, Deepavali is very closely linked to our culture and ethos. It is the soul of our civilisation. It personifies illumination and righteousness. The addition of Deepavali to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List will contribute to the festival's global popularity even further," he said, adding that people in India and abroad were "thrilled" to see the festival acknowledged on the world stage. In a social media post, Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar posted, "Glad to learn of the inscription of 'Deepavali' in the @UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is a recognition of the festival's immense cultural, religious and spiritual significance and of its role in bringing people together." Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat welcomed it as "a historic day for India". The inscription comes even as the Capital has been staging an elaborate cultural showcase to coincide with the six-day UNESCO meeting, with the government positioning Deepavali as a defining symbol of India's civilisational continuity. Delhi's preparations began early this week, drawing global attention on Tuesday evening when the Delhi Secretariat lit up in tricolour hues and golden roof lights, signalling the city's full-scale embrace of the festival's imagery and themes. Officials confirmed that the December festivities, including the illumination of key government buildings, decorative installations across public spaces, diya displays, and district-level cultural programmes, are aimed at presenting Deepavali as a lived tradition embedded in communities across India. Delhi's cultural minister Kapil Mishra said the city's own celebrations will run in parallel with the national showcase. "The entire Cabinet will be present at Dilli Haat. All government buildings will be decorated, diyas will be lit at the Red Fort, and Diwali markets will be set up across the city," he said. At the Red Fort, delegates from more than 180 countries will witness curated performances, ceremonial lighting rituals, and exhibitions on traditional arts associated with the festival. For the Deepavali nomination, the Sangeet Natak Akademi coordinated extensive consultations, gathering community inputs, testimonials, and expert guidance from practitioners, scholars, writers, and poets to reflect the festival's pan-Indian character and its deep resonance among global Indian communities. India now has 15 elements on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, ranging from yoga and Vedic chanting to the Kumbh Mela, Garba, Ramlila, and Kolkata's Durga Puja. The country has also forwarded a nomination for Bihar's Chhath Puja for the next evaluation cycle. The session was formally opened by Union minister Jaishankar, who described intangible cultural heritage....