India has won the top UNESCO prize ‘Award of Excellence’ 2015 for the remarkable conservation efforts of the majestic Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in Kerala, the U.N. body announced on Tuesday.

“The award recognises the remarkable conservation effort undertaken at the sacred site which employed age-old rituals and conservation techniques drawn from Vastu Sastra focussing on architecture and construction,” UNESCO said in a statement.

As such, the tangible attributes of the temple were inextricably linked with its intangible heritage which dates back generations, thus ensuring that “spirit of place” resonates throughout the site, the U.N. body said.

Sdaring Xieng Thong Temple in Luang Prabang won the Award of Merit and became the first project in Lao People’s Democratic Republic to receive the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award.

A 150-year-old Sino-Portuguese former residence of a Thai aristocrat, which has been converted into a historic inn and local museum, has been awarded UNESCO’s “Award of Merit” in Heritage Award. Beating 36 projects, Baan Luang Rajamaitri in Chanthaburi province was among 12 winning projects from five countries.— PTI