Bengaluru, Jan 16 (IANS): Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma on Monday said Karnataka was the true ambassador of Indian culture.

Of the 3,686 monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), 506 are in Karnataka. This shows the state's rich cultural heritage, he said.

The strongest force that "binds India together is our rich heritage and rich culture. When we talk... we don't talk about the billions or trillions dollars of Forex reserves we have, we talk about our rich cultural heritage. That is our strength and each of us should be proud of this strength of ours", he said.

Sharma was speaking at the inauguration of the seventh edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav-2018 here. Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar was also present at the event.

"Organising such a unique cultural event gives people from different regions a chance to showcase their talent, artworks and delicacies at one platform," Ananth Kumar said.

"The Ministry of Culture plays a very important role in preserving our rich cultural heritage and in uniting our country."

The annual cultural festival, being organised by the Culture Ministry this time in Karnataka, will be spread across other cities of Hubli, Dharwad and Mangaluru.