In July 2025, during the 124th episode of the monthly radio show ‘Mann ki Baat’, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM)‘ an initiative at the digitisation of ancient manuscripts.
- This initiative aims to survey, document, and conserve over one crore (10 million) manuscripts held by academic institutions, museums, libraries, and private collectors across India.
Background:
About NMM: The Ministry of Culture established the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) in 2003, under the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), during the 10th Five Year Plan, with the aim of documenting, conserving, and promoting access to India’s manuscripts heritage.
Restructuring: The Government of India(GoI) has restructured the NMM as the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM)’ in the Union Budget 2025 -26.
About Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM):
Purpose: The GBM has been launched as a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) for the period 2024–31, with a total allocation of Rs.482.85 crore to preserve, document, and promote India’s rich manuscript heritage.
- The GoI, in its 2025-26 budget, significantly increased the financial allocation for the manuscripts initiative, from Rs.3.5 crores to Rs. 60 crores.
Creation of NDR: After the digitisation of the ancient manuscripts, a National Digital Repository (NDR) will be created, where students and teachers around the world would be able to connect with India’s knowledge and tradition.
Key Objectives of GBM:Â
The following are the key objectives of the mission include:
Survey and Documentation: Undertaking a nationwide survey and registration drive to create a comprehensive inventory of India’s manuscript heritage.
Conservation and Preservation:Â Scientific conservation and preventive preservation of manuscripts across repositories in India.
Digitization:Â Large-scale digitization of manuscripts to create a National Digital Manuscripts Library for wider accessibility.
Publication and Research:Â Editing, translating, and publishing rare and unpublished manuscripts to promote scholarly research.
Capacity Building:Â Organizing training programs in manuscriptology, paleography, and conservation to build expertise.
Outreach and Awareness:Â Conducting exhibitions, seminars, and cultural programs to increase public awareness of manuscript heritage.
Expansion Plan of GBM:
The GoI has formulated an expansion plan to enhance public access to India’s manuscript heritage.
Collaborations for Digitization: Working with academic institutions, private collectors, and research organizations to expand the digitization and dissemination of manuscripts.
Academic Partnerships: Collaborations with universities to promote research and study of manuscripts.
Public Engagement and Skill Development: Organizing regular exhibitions, workshops, and manuscript festivals to engage scholars and the public. Creating a pool of new generations of manuscriptologists.
