National Maritime Heritage Complex: Lothal

GS 1 – Ancient India 

The Union Cabinet has recently sanctioned the establishment of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, Gujarat.

This initiative, led by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), aims to highlight India’s 4,500-year-old maritime legacy. A Lighthouse Museum, planned to be the tallest globally, will be funded by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), which operates under MoPSW.

About Lothal:

• Situated in the Bhal region of Gujarat, Lothal is among the southernmost Harappan sites.
• Dating back to approximately 2,200 BCE, it is renowned for hosting the world’s oldest known dock, which connected the settlement to an ancient Sabarmati River channel.
• Lothal was discovered in 1954 by archaeologist S.R. Rao and was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in April 2014.
• Other significant Harappan sites in Gujarat include Surkotada and Dholavira.