Global Meet on Indian Manuscripts Begins September 11

Quick Summary

• The Union Culture Ministry will host the first-ever international conference on Indian manuscripts, titled “Reclaiming IndiaS Knowledge Legacy through Manuscript Heritage,” in New Delhi from September 11 to 13.
• The event is part of the government’s Gyan Bharatam Mission, which was highlighted during the budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address.
• Over 1,100 attendees comprising academics, researchers, professionals, students, and cultural practitioners will discuss preserving and digitising India’s vast manuscript heritage of nearly 10 million texts.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the conference on September 12.
• According to Union Culture Secretary Vivek Agrawal:

– Plans include establishing regional centres in every state in collaboration with universities and libraries with expertise in manuscripts.
– A Central body overseen by the Culture Ministry will be created for efforts related to conservation and preservation under Gyan Bharatam.

Indian Opinion Analysis
India’s initiative under the Gyan Bharatam Mission signals a commitment to preserving its historical manuscript legacy while enhancing accessibility through digitisation efforts. Given India’s repository of nearly 10 million ancient texts that encapsulate traditional knowledge across science, arts, ideology, and more-this effort could strengthen cultural preservation while fostering research opportunities worldwide.

The establishment of regional hubs with local institutions forms a logical framework for decentralised yet systematic conservation measures that cater to state-specific practices or linguistic realities prevalent among manuscripts. Furthermore, hosting an international conference not only positions India as a leader in heritage restoration but also serves as a platform for engaging global scholars who can contribute diverse perspectives.While these measures show promise for safeguarding historical assets scientifically rather than allowing them to deteriorate or scatter unauthenticated across private collections-they also pose operational challenges requiring sustained investment over decades alongside public-private partnerships ensuring continuity post-initiation phases.

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