The Department of Language, Art & Culture, Himachal Pradesh has officially launched the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, aimed at discovering, documenting, preserving, and digitizing the country’s invaluable manuscript heritage.
A meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh, in the presence of the Secretary (Language, Art & Culture), directed all Deputy Commissioners to ensure effective implementation of the mission at the district level in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
The initiative is expected to play a significant role in safeguarding rare handwritten knowledge resources and making them widely accessible through digital platforms.
Under the mission, a statewide survey of manuscripts in both public and private collections will be conducted. Manuscripts older than 75 years will be preserved and digitized using advanced technologies such as OCR and AI-based tools. The plan also includes the formation of State and District Level Committees, capacity building through training, and implementation of standardized protocols.
To encourage public participation, the ‘Gyan Bharatam App’ has been introduced, allowing individuals, institutions, and scholars to register their manuscripts for documentation and preservation. Additionally, a ‘Gyan Bharatam Cluster Centre’ has been established at the Himachal Pradesh State Museum, Shimla, to facilitate digitization and conservation work.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the nation’s rich cultural and intellectual heritage and has urged citizens and institutions to actively participate in this collective effort.
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