Gyan Bharatam Mission

Context:

The Gyan Bharatam Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, focusing on the preservation and protection of India's vast manuscript heritage. Here's a closer look at the mission and its significance:

About the Gyan Bharatam Mission:

• Objective: The mission aims to survey, document, and conserve over one crore manuscripts spread across academic institutions, museums, libraries, and other repositories in India.
• Significance:
• Preserving Historical Value: It will help protect valuable pieces of India's ancient knowledge.
• Unveiling Ancient Knowledge: The mission seeks to make this ancient knowledge accessible to the world, showcasing India's rich intellectual heritage.
• Ensuring Longevity and Accessibility: The goal is to ensure that these manuscripts are preserved for future generations, with round-the-clock access to the public.
• Budget Allocation: To support this mission, the budget for the National Manuscripts Mission (NMM) has been increased significantly from Rs. 3.5 crore to Rs. 60 crore.

What Are Manuscripts?

Manuscripts are handwritten compositions on materials like paper, bark, or palm leaves, often dating back at least 75 years, and carrying significant scientific, historical, or aesthetic value. Some examples include:

• Bakhshali Manuscript (third or fourth century A.D.), an ancient Indian mathematical text that is considered one of the earliest examples of the use of zero.
• Manuscripts cover diverse themes such as history, religion, literature, astrology, and agricultural practices.

Notably, India possesses an estimated 10 million manuscripts in around 80 ancient scripts, including Brahmi, Kushan, Gaudi, Lepcha, and Maithili.

• 75% of these manuscripts are in Sanskrit, while 25% are in regional languages.

Other Initiatives for Manuscript Conservation in India:

1. National Manuscripts Mission (NMM):

• Launched in 2003 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, this initiative focuses on locating and preserving manuscripts across India.

1. National Library of India, Kolkata:

• The library houses around 3,600 rare and historically significant manuscripts.

1. Asiatic Society of Bengal:

• Established in 1784 by Sir William Jones, the Asiatic Society is engaged in the digitization of ancient manuscripts, further expanding access to these treasures of knowledge.

Conclusion:

The Gyan Bharatam Mission represents a major step toward preserving India's ancient manuscript heritage, ensuring that the knowledge contained within these texts is safeguarded and accessible for future generations. This initiative also reinforces India’s commitment to safeguarding its cultural and intellectual history.