SSC
Which is India's first 'Mixed World Heritage Site' on UNESCO's World Heritage List?
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Answer: Option A — Khangchendzonga National Park
Detailed Solution
Khangchendzonga National Park (also called Kanchenjunga National Park) in Sikkim was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in July 2016, at the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee in Istanbul. It became India's first "mixed" World Heritage Site, meaning that it was recognised for both its natural and its cultural value. It remains India's only mixed site.
Why it is a mixed site:
Natural value: It covers a wide range of landscapes, from tropical forests to high alpine meadows and glaciers, and includes Mount Khangchendzonga (8,586 m), the third-highest mountain in the world and the highest in India. It has rich biodiversity, including the snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan tahr and many birds and plants.
Cultural value: The mountain and the surrounding landscape are sacred to the Buddhist and Lepcha communities of Sikkim. In Sikkimese Buddhism, Khangchendzonga is considered the guardian deity of Sikkim, and the area is regarded as a "beyul" (a hidden sacred land). The Lepchas also believe their ancestors came from this region.
Other facts:
- It is the largest protected area in Sikkim and is part of the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, which was added to UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2018.
- The park was set up in 1977.
Types of World Heritage Sites:
- Cultural: such as the Taj Mahal, Ajanta and Ellora caves, and the Sun Temple at Konark.
- Natural: such as Kaziranga, Manas, the Sundarbans, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers, the Western Ghats and the Great Himalayan National Park.
- Mixed: Khangchendzonga National Park.
India has over 40 World Heritage Sites. The most recent additions include the Moidams of Charaideo (Assam) in 2024 and the Maratha Military Landscapes in 2025.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Great Himalayan National Park (Himachal Pradesh) is a natural site (2014).
- ✗Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (Uttarakhand) are natural sites.
- ✗Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal) is a natural site (1987).
Quick tip
Remember: India's first and only mixed World Heritage Site = Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim (2016); natural + cultural (sacred to Buddhists and Lepchas).
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Firsts in India & World — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Firsts in India & World, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the first persons and events in India and the world: the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, the first woman to hold major offices, the first to climb Everest or reach space, and India's first institutions, newspapers, railways and satellites. It also covers the largest, longest, highest and smallest records in India and the world. These are pure memory questions, so revise them as short lists by theme: first women, first in sports, first in science and space, and first in governance. Be careful with the exact wording, such as 'first Indian' versus 'first person of Indian origin', or 'first woman President' versus 'first woman Prime Minister', since options are often designed to exploit this. Practise the firsts in India and the world questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.