Gyan Bharatam Mission for Manuscript Heritage
Why in the news
The Union Budget 2025–26 unveiled a special mission to protect India’s huge stock of manuscripts, many of which risk being lost to decay and poor storage.
Key facts
- Announced by: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Union Budget 2025–26.
- Scope: survey, documentation, conservation and digitisation of manuscripts.
- Funding: National Manuscripts Mission (NMM) budget up from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore.
- Holdings: over one crore (10 million) manuscripts on palm leaf, birch bark and paper.
Why it matters
- Manuscripts hold knowledge in Ayurveda, mathematics, astronomy, linguistics, arts and philosophy.
- Aryabhata, Brahmagupta and Bhaskara are cited as mathematicians whose work features in them.
- Sanskrit, Tamil, Pali and Prakrit texts anchor Indian literature.
- Aim: blend ancient knowledge with modern science and global appreciation.
Objectives
- Survey and documentation: identify and catalogue manuscripts with institutions, libraries, museums and private collectors.
- Conservation: modern scientific methods and controlled storage.
- Digitisation: a National Digital Repository of Indian Knowledge Systems with high-resolution scans and metadata tags.
- Promotion: link texts to curricula, translate them, hold exhibitions and lectures.
- International ties: share heritage with global scholars; partner UNESCO and universities.
Stakeholders
- Ministry of Culture, NMM and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
- Universities, IITs and research centres; libraries and museums.
- Private collectors and monasteries; technology and digital experts.
Challenges and answers
| Challenge | Proposed solution |
|---|---|
| Fragile manuscripts | Deacidification, fumigation, digital restoration |
| Language barriers | Translation projects |
| Low awareness | Educational programmes, exhibitions, online access |
| Scale of digitisation | Regional digitisation centres and AI-powered text recognition |
Impact expected
- Protects intellectual heritage and boosts research and education.
- Explores modern uses of ancient knowledge and builds India’s cultural standing.
- Creates jobs in conservation, translation and research.
Exam angle
- Announced in: Union Budget 2025–26.
- Output to remember: National Digital Repository of Indian Knowledge Systems.
- NMM allocation: ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore.