In a major achievement, a record 75 lakh manuscripts have so far been reported under the Gyan Bharatam National Survey of Manuscripts. The survey aims to map the presence of manuscripts across India and lay the groundwork for their systematic preservation, research and digitisation.
“A milestone worth celebrating! 75 lakh+ manuscripts have been reported under the Gyan Bharatam National Survey of Manuscripts. Our ancestors left behind a treasure of wisdom. It’s time we protect it," the Ministry of Culture said in a post on X on Friday.
The government launched the Gyan Bharatam National Manuscript Survey on March 16, under the Gyan Bharatam initiative, to identify and document manuscripts located across the country.
India possesses one of the world’s richest manuscript traditions across subjects like philosophy, science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, literature, arts and governance. A large part of this knowledge heritage, however, remains undocumented and dispersed across private homes, temples, monasteries, libraries and institutions.
Through the Gyan Bharatam National Manuscript Survey, the Ministry of Culture aims to create a geo-tagged national inventory of manuscript repositories across districts and states. This effort will help build a national ‘Manuscript Presence Map’, enabling systematic cataloguing, conservation planning, and long-term research.
“The Gyan Bharatam National Manuscript Survey also encourages wide public participation through the Gyan Bharatam mobile application and website. Authorized surveyors appointed under the mission and custodians of manuscripts, such as families, scholars, temples, and institutions, as well as individuals aware of manuscript collections in their communities, can submit information about manuscripts," Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat said.
“The process is voluntary and non-intrusive, and participation does not affect ownership or require transfer of manuscripts," he said.
Under the survey, 30,996 rare manuscripts were recently found in Mysuru district of Karnataka.
