This chapter investigates the evolution and significance of collaborative and participatory approaches in cultural heritage management, with a focus on the Global South, particularly India. Situated at the intersection of rapid urbanization, globalization, and environmental challenges, heritage governance increasingly foregrounds community participation as a fundamental right, essential for equitable, resilient, and dynamic stewardship. Through a critical review of international frameworks and a detailed examination of four cases—Nizamuddin Basti and Jaipur’s urban renewal projects, along with the Sundarbans and Varanasi’s intangible heritage initiatives—the chapter explores how these approaches navigate complexities of power, identity, and sustainability. It employs a robust interdisciplinary methodology, integrating theoretical frameworks such as Arnstein’s ladder of participation, critiques of authorized heritage discourse, and concepts of the heritage commons. The analysis underscores the transformative potential and persistent dilemmas of collaboration, emphasizing inclusive governance that honours plural knowledge systems and fosters community agency. Recommendations highlight critical pathways for advancing participatory governance, digital innovation, and adaptive resilience in heritage practice. This synthesis addresses scholarly and practitioner audiences, aiming to bridge theory and policy with grounded insights that can inform equitable cultural governance in rapidly changing contexts.