Gyan Bharatam Mission and Preservation of Manuscript Heritage

Key Highlights:

• The Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM), an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, aims to preserve India's manuscript heritage.
• It was announced during the Union Budget 2025-26 and sanctioned ₹491.66 crore for the period 2025-2031.
• The National Manuscript Survey, launched in March 2026, has reported over 1.19 crore manuscripts across India.
• Over 4.40 lakh digitized manuscripts are currently available for public access on the Gyan Bharatam portal.
• The mission is a pan-India initiative, encompassing manuscripts irrespective of script, language, or tradition.

Detailed Insights:

• GBM leverages advanced technology to enhance the pace of digitization and documentation of manuscripts.
• Its objectives include conducting surveys, registration, cataloguing, conservation, and boosting scholarship in manuscriptology.
• The mission facilitates the usage and promotes access to manuscripts through publications and machine-readable forms.
• It aims to build a National Digital Repository (NDR) for comprehensive storage and access.
• An institutional mechanism involves Cluster Centres, Independent Centres, and State/UT Nodal Coordinating Authorities for implementation.
• Access to digitized copies is provided in accordance with the rights of custodians and rights holders.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM): A Ministry of Culture initiative focused on the digitization, preservation, and promotion of India's manuscript heritage.
• National Digital Repository (NDR): A centralized online platform designed for storing and providing access to digitized manuscripts.
• Manuscriptology: The academic study of manuscripts, encompassing their history, production, content, and preservation.