Why in the news?

  • The Gyan Bharatam Mission on manuscripts signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with nearly 20 institutions nationwide to support the conservation, preservation, and digitisation of manuscripts.

Gyan Bharatam Mission

  • What is it?:
    • The Gyan Bharatam Mission is a landmark initiative launched by the Ministry of Culture in 2025 to preserve, digitise, and globally disseminate India’s ancient manuscript heritage. 
    • It forms part of the national vision of “Virasat aur Vikas” (Heritage and Development) and aligns with the Viksit Bharat@2047 agenda to strengthen India’s civilisational knowledge base through technology and innovation.
  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture
  • Implementation Period: 2024–2031
  • Total Outlay: ₹482.85 crore (Central Sector Scheme)
  • Objective: The mission aims to make manuscripts a living resource for education, research, and innovation, rather than mere preserved artefacts.
  • Key Features:
    • AI Integration: Artificial intelligence tools for digitisation, content extraction, and translation of scripts.
    • Hybrid Conference Format: Over 1,100 participants, 4 plenaries, and 12 technical sessions.
    • Public Engagement: ‘Manuscript Research Partner’ and authenticity certification programs encourage citizen participation.
    • Manuscript Scope: India’s heritage includes over five million manuscripts across disciplines like philosophy, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, literature, and architecture.
  • Institutional Framework:
    • Technical Partner: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
    • Collaborators: National Archives of India, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), and major universities.
  • Significance:
    • Cultural Preservation: Safeguards India’s Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā (Indian Knowledge Systems) from physical deterioration.
    • Academic Revitalisation: Enhances research across disciplines like Ayurveda, astronomy, linguistics, and philosophy.
    • Digital Empowerment: Builds synergy between the Digital India Mission and cultural heritage initiatives.
    • Soft Power Diplomacy: Enhances India’s global cultural presence and supports aspirational initiatives like UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme.
    • Aligns with: NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat 2047 aspiration.