Geoheritage of Kachchh rift basin: An approach for recognition Kachchh as India’s first national Geopark

India has immense geoheritage potential owing to its varied geological basins with Precambrian orogens to Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic Tethys sediments and Proterozoic to Gondwana and Tertiary episodes of peninsular India. Amongst the glittering geological sequences are: Cretaceous of Trichinapalli; Jurassics and Tertiaries of Kachchh; Paleoszoics and Mesozoics of Spiti valley; Structural museum of Aravalli; Proterozoic Vindhyan sandstones; Pleistocene sequence of Karewas in Kashmir basin; Gondwans and Deccan Traps of Cretaceous extrusive sections are some such world famous geological events in Indian stratigraphy. None of them has yet to earn credit of the first Geopark of the country. Establishing geoparks in India for conservation of geological features and showcasing geological attractions for public education, recreation and sustainable economic development, can be a comprehensive panacea. In India, the ‘geopark’ concept is still in nascent state. In this paper we have focused on Kachchh basin of western India which is a field laboratory with various fascinating geological features. It is a unique sedimentary basin in the world where the geological records over last 200 million years including history of basin formation by crustal fracturing, sediment fill, ancient life forms and structuring by several earth movements (Fig.1). We elucidate here the vast potential of a small peri-cratonic paleo-rift basin of Kachchh in western India for its immense quality of geological vicissitudes. The small rift basin of early Jurassic period has complete geological, life, climate and sea-level records in its rocks. Cretaceous is represented by delta sequence while the ideal sequence stratigraphy of marine Tertiary owns excellent records ever found on globe. Tectonically unstable basin has ideal active fault systems and textbook example of tectonic geomorphology (Fig.2 and 3). The vast salt playas contain unusual thick soft sediments as Ranns of Kachchh also serve excellent records of historic earthquakes as paleoseismically potential sites (Fig. 5). The invertebrate to vertebrate and micro to nano paleontology and palynology of Kachchh rocks are dear destinations for world scientists. Bentonite, china clay, bauxite and lignite are weathered and lagoonal sedimentary deposits in Kachchh. Oil and gas producing reservoir rocks of are exposed in Kachchh within the thick Tertiary sequences giving excellent scope for study of reservoir characteristics on the surface (Fig.4). In this paper we have highlighted various geological features which support to communicate geoscientific knowledge. We have identified more than hundred geoheritage sites which may be protected for future geoscience studies and young generations to understand text book geology. We also aim to create awareness to protect the natural geological sites making geological monuments and national parks.