India has launched the Gyan Bharatam Mission under the Ministry of Culture to survey, document, conserve, digitise and make manuscripts accessible across the country. The mission covers manuscripts held in academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collections, and seeks to build a technology-driven system for protecting India’s manuscript heritage. It also aims to create a nationwide network for implementation and long-term preservation.
Mission Objectives
The mission focuses on the full lifecycle of manuscript preservation. Its key tasks include:
- Survey and documentation of manuscript holdings across India.
- Scientific conservation and restoration through preventive and curative methods.
- High-standard digitisation of manuscripts for wider access.
- Centralised availability of digital records through the National Digital Repository.
The mission is designed to cover India’s manuscript wealth irrespective of region, language or script.
Funding and Institutional Framework
The Standing Finance Committee has sanctioned Rs. 491.66 crore for the period 2025-2031. The mission has been mandated to establish Cluster Centres and Independent Centres across the country. More than 40 such centres have already been onboarded. In addition, 28 States and Union Territories have been onboarded to act as nodal coordinating authorities for implementation within their jurisdictions.
Digital Preservation and Security
The mission uses a structured digital preservation model. It includes metadata creation, integration with the National Digital Repository, deployment of equipment, an AI-integrated digital platform and long-term data storage. Each digitised manuscript is to be accompanied by proper metadata, cataloguing and documentation to support authenticity and traceability. Secure storage is planned through LTO-9 tapes, cloud-based backup and disaster recovery systems.
Related Archival Digitisation Efforts
The National Archives of India has also undertaken large-scale digitisation of historical records. High-resolution digital copies are created with checksums for each image to verify integrity and detect tampering. Together, these efforts strengthen preservation, access and authenticity in India’s documentary heritage.
Last Modified: April 29, 2026