INDIA’S MANUSCRIPT HERITAGE

NEWS: Ministry of culture launched a nationwide survey to map India’s Manuscript Heritage

ABOUT

• Aim: To identify manuscripts nationwide and create a national digital repository on the portal of ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’ (GBM).
• A manuscriptà
  • Handwritten composition on paper, bark, cloth, metal, palm leaf or any other material
  • Dating back at least seventy-five years
  • Has significant scientific, historical or aesthetic value.

Significance of mapping manuscripts

• Manuscriptsà Can preserve cultural diversity, recognize heritage, preserve linguistic diversity and foster India’s global cultural connect.
• Hold vast repositories of indigenous knowledge such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Scientific Disciplines etc.
• Mapping can prevent smuggling of undocumented manuscripts and exploitation of traditional knowledge systems.

initiatives taken for preserving manuscripts

• Gyan-Setuà A national AI Innovation Challenge, part of GBM, encourages startups, students etc. to harness AI for digitisation of manuscripts.
• Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972à Prohibits the export of any manuscripts over 75 years old
• UNESCO Memory of the World Registerà preservation of documentary heritage comprise entries from India e.g. Manuscript of Bhagvatgeeta, Natyashastra etc.

Gyan Bharatam Mission

• National initiative to preserve, digitise, disseminate India’s vast manuscript heritage.
• Ministry: Ministry of Culture.
• Type: Central sector scheme.
• Origin: It is a restructured version of National Mission for Manuscripts of 2003.
• Five Pillars:
  • Mapping and recording manuscripts,
  • Conserving manuscripts,
  • Digitizing and protecting manuscripts,
  • Decoding ancient manuscripts
  • Studying and sharing knowledge of manuscripts.