Gyan Bharatam Mission

The first Gyan Bharatam International Conference on ‘Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy through Manuscript Heritage’ launched the Gyan Bharatam Mission.
The Conference launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal, a digital platform to accelerate manuscript digitisation, preservation, and access.

About Gyan Bharatam Mission

The Gyan Bharatam Mission is a national initiative to preserve and digitise manuscripts, reviving them as living resources for education, research, innovation, and diplomacy.
It was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture.

A manuscript is a handwritten composition on materials such as palm leaf, birch bark, cloth, paper, or even metal, dating back at least 75 years and carrying significant historical, scientific, or aesthetic value.
Unlike printed books or administrative records, manuscripts embody knowledge content, covering subjects as diverse as philosophy, medicine, astronomy, literature, and the arts.
They are found in hundreds of languages and scripts, sometimes with a single language often represented in multiple scripts—for instance, Sanskrit in Devanagari, Oriya, and Grantha.

Survey and Documentation: Survey, document, and conserve over one crore manuscripts held by academic institutions, museums, libraries, and private collectors.
Repository Creation: To undertake large-scale digitisation of manuscripts using modern technologies like AI-assisted Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) and create a globally accessible National Digital Repository of Indian Knowledge Systems.
Capacity Building: To train a new generation of experts in manuscriptology, palaeography, and conservation through structured programs and workshops.
Technology Development: To develop digital tools, including mobile applications and cloud platforms, to enhance access to and study of manuscripts.
Engagement: Public participation through partner programmes, and the Gyan-Setu AI Challenge.

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The Gyan Bharatam Mission aligns with Article 51A(f) of the Constitution, which makes preserving the rich heritage of our composite culture a fundamental duty.
The Mission supports NEP 2020, which incorporates Indian Knowledge Systems into modern curricula.
It strengthens international collaboration to digitise and standardise manuscripts, ensuring the preservation and continuity of India’s knowledge traditions.

National Mission for Manuscripts: Established in 2003 for manuscript documentation and preservation, it forms the foundation of the Gyan Bharatam Mission.
Kriti Sampada Repository: A digital repository, with over 44.07 lakh manuscripts documented.
National Library of India: Based in Kolkata, it has several rare and historically significant manuscripts.
Asiatic Society of Bengal: Founded by Sir William Jones in Kolkata, it digitises ancient manuscripts.