Established and registered in 1966 following the UNESCO Regional Seminar on Conservation held at the National Museum, New Delhi, the Indian Association for the Study of Conservation of Cultural Property (IASC) is India's oldest and only professional organization exclusively dedicated to the scientific conservation of cultural heritage. For nearly six decades, the Association has played a pioneering role in advancing conservation science through research, professional networking, technical deliberations, and capacity building.
Since its inception, IASC has consistently organized Annual National Conferences every year, providing a unique national platform for scientists, conservators, archaeologists, museum professionals, archivists, academicians, and students to exchange ideas, present original research, and discuss emerging challenges in heritage conservation. The peer-reviewed research papers presented during these conferences are published in the Association's prestigious journal, Conservation of Cultural Property in India, one of the country's longest-running scholarly publications devoted exclusively to the conservation of cultural heritage.
The Association presently has a strong professional network comprising 115 Life Members, 60 Annual Members, and 23 Institutional Members, representing museums, universities, research institutions, archives, libraries, and conservation laboratories across India and abroad.
The Association held on JuLY 13, 2026the first Memorial Lecture on the theme of the well-known conservator, the late H.J.Plenderleth. Below is given the Press Release note which was published in many leading newspapers of India.
I wonder wheher any other country, especially located in North America has a lecture series upon the name of H J Plendrleith who is regarded as the Father of Conservation or not.
Press Release :
New Delhi, India: July 13, 2026:
The Indian Association for the Study of Conservation of Cultural Property (IASC) successfully organized the 1st Harold J. Plenderleith Memorial Lecture at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from conservation scientists, archaeologists, museum professionals, conservators, academicians, researchers, students, and heritage practitioners from across India.
The programme was inaugurated by Mr. Nilabh Sinha, President, IASC, who emphasized the significance of instituting the Harold J. Plenderleith Memorial Lecture as a prestigious platform for promoting scientific knowledge, professional excellence, and international dialogue in the field of cultural heritage conservation. The proceedings were gracefully conducted by Prof. Achal Pandya.
The distinguished speaker, Mr. Gaël de Guichen, an internationally acclaimed conservation expert who served ICCROM for nearly five decades, delivered an inspiring memorial lecture titled "Who Was Harold J. Plenderleith?" He eloquently presented the life, vision, and pioneering contributions of Dr. Harold J. Plenderleith, widely regarded as the father of modern scientific conservation. His lecture highlighted the evolution of preventive conservation, international best practices, and the future direction of heritage preservation, providing invaluable insights to conservation professionals, researchers, students, and heritage managers.
IASC gratefully acknowledged the generous support extended by IGNCA and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in organizing the event. Special appreciation was also expressed to Shri Nandan Shastri, a senior member of IASC, whose generous seed contribution of ₹51,000 laid the foundation for instituting this prestigious memorial lecture series.
The programme concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Dr. Sanjay Prasad Gupta, Secretary, IASC, who expressed heartfelt gratitude to the distinguished speaker, collaborating institutions, participants, members, and the organizing committee for making the inaugural Harold J. Plenderleith Memorial Lecture a landmark event in the history of the Association.
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NANDAN SHASTRI
Curator
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