. NEW DELHI: In a first-of-its-kind exercise that starts on Monday, the ministry of culture will launch a three-month-long nationwide survey to map India’s manuscript heritage. From the district level upwards, the extensive exercise aims to locate all manuscripts in different parts of the country and create a consolidated database and a national digital repository of the same on a central portal of ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’. The manuscripts existing in collections and institutions and those identified during the survey with individual custodians will also be geotagged to address conservation, preservation and digitisation requirements.Israel Iran WarUS-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: ‘All oil and energy infrastructure will turn to ashes,’ says Iran after US hits Kharg Island’I’m what?’ Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu mocks death rumours, shows off five fingers – watch’Must take care’: Trump urges nations to send warships to Strait of Hormuz as conflict with Iran intensifies Culture secretary Vivek Aggarwal said the survey teams would use the Gyan Bharatam app to upload the details and technology will be leveraged going forward to enable digitisation in a standardised format to eventually make them accessible. The survey is in keeping with the vision document , New Delhi Declaration, adopted in Sept last year at the Gyan Bharatam conference in Vigyan Bhawan, where PM Narendra Modi had said the mission would be the “proclamation of India’s culture, literature and consciousness”. Noting that India had the world’s largest collection of estimated manusc-ripts (about 1 crore), the PM had said their digitisation under the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’, which was announced in the 2025-26 Budget, would also curb “intellectual piracy”. On the survey exercise, the culture secretary said committees at the state and district levels had been formed under the chairmanship of the chief secretary and the district magistrate, respectively. The ministry is also working on the interface with manuscripts already digitised by institutions and state govts. These are estimated to be more than a million.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDiscussed Ways To Fast-Track EU FTA With S Jaishankar: Piyush GoyalIndian Vessel ‘Jag Laadki’ Escapes Unhurt After Attack At Fujairah Oil TerminalSTF Arrests Man Who Helped Bangladeshi Murder Suspects Sneak Into India After Dhaka KillingRahul Gandhi Writes To PM Modi, Demands Bharat Ratna For BSP Founder Kanshi RamTMC MP Mahua Moitra Accuses BJP Workers Of Bringing -Jungle Raj- To West Bengal‘Chai-Pakora At Parl Door’: Amit Shah Hits Out At Rahul Gandhi Over LPG Protest, AI Summit Row7 Indian Pilgrims Killed, Several Injured After Bus Slips Off Mountain Road In NepalInfiltration Bid Foiled In J&K: Pakistani Terrorist Killed In Army-Police Joint Operation In Uri‘Because I Am Brahmin…’: Mani Shankar Aiyar Slams BJP, Clarifies ‘Neech Aadmi’ Comment On PM Modi‘Act Of Aggression’: India Strongly Condemns Pakistan’s Air Strikes On Afghanistan123PhotostoriesStomach feels tight after a normal meal? Gastroenterologists explain why digestion can slow down and share simple habits that help ease post-meal bloating7 summer foods Indians traditionally ate to beat the heatAmerican TV sitcoms to watch with friends: ‘Friends’, ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ and more10 benefits of eating soaked almonds daily: Dietitians explain how this simple morning habit supports brain, heart and digestive healthSara Tendulkar steps out with new bhabhi Saaniya Chandhok after Arjun Tendulkar’s wedding; their saree looks steal the spotlightThe best romantic comedies on TV: ‘Bhakarwadi’, ‘Anandibaa aur Emily’ and more6 foods that may cause bloating if eaten too often7 architectural features that increase natural light in housesPriyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Rashmika Mandanna: Pan-Indian actresses who conquered multiple film industries10 ways Kathal or Jackfruit is prepared across India123Hot PicksIran war newsLPG crisis in IndiaElection CommissionGold rate todayIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingSanju SamsonBrittany Mahomes Net WorthWilt ChamberlainMovsar EvloevMichael BispingLPG Crisis IndiaAssembly election dateIran US WarIPL 2026 Chennai Super KingsMiddle East War
NEW DELHI: In a first-of-its-kind exercise that starts on Monday, the ministry of culture will launch a three-month-long nationwide survey to map India’s manuscript heritage. From the district level upwards, the extensive exercise aims to locate all manuscripts in different parts of the country and create a consolidated database and a national digital repository of the same on a central portal of ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’. The manuscripts existing in collections and institutions and those identified during the survey with individual custodians will also be geotagged to address conservation, preservation and digitisation requirements. Culture secretary Vivek Aggarwal said the survey teams would use the Gyan Bharatam app to upload the details and technology will be leveraged going forward to enable digitisation in a standardised format to eventually make them accessible. The survey is in keeping with the vision document , New Delhi Declaration, adopted in Sept last year at the Gyan Bharatam conference in Vigyan Bhawan, where PM Narendra Modi had said the mission would be the “proclamation of India’s culture, literature and consciousness”. Noting that India had the world’s largest collection of estimated manusc-ripts (about 1 crore), the PM had said their digitisation under the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’, which was announced in the 2025-26 Budget, would also curb “intellectual piracy”. On the survey exercise, the culture secretary said committees at the state and district levels had been formed under the chairmanship of the chief secretary and the district magistrate, respectively. The ministry is also working on the interface with manuscripts already digitised by institutions and state govts. These are estimated to be more than a million.
