National Mission for Manuscripts

National Mission for Manuscripts
source
Name	National Mission for Manuscripts
Formation	2003
Headquarters	New Delhi
Parent organization	Ministry of Culture

National Mission for Manuscripts The National Mission for Manuscripts is an initiative established in 2003 to locate, conserve, catalogue, and disseminate Indian manuscript heritage. It serves as a focal point linking institutions such as the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sangeet Natak Akademi, National Museum, New Delhi, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, and libraries like the National Library of India and the Asiatic Society, Kolkata to identify manuscript collections across India. The Mission engages scholars connected to Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Calcutta, and University of Madras to develop standards aligned with practices used by institutions such as the British Library, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Vatican Library, and Library of Congress.

History

The Mission was launched under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture following recommendations from committees including experts from the Archaeological Survey of India, Sahitya Akademi, and the Indian Council of Historical Research. Early initiatives drew on cataloguing models from the International Council on Archives, conservation methods promoted by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and digitization precedents set by the Digital Library of India and the World Digital Library. Key milestones involved collaborations with regional centers such as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Royal Asiatic Society, Mumbai, Kochi Muziris Biennale partners, and state archives in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

Objectives and Mandate

The Mission's mandate includes locating manuscript repositories in private and institutional custody similar to surveys conducted by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, assessing preservation needs akin to reports by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites, and preparing catalogues comparable to projects by the Bodleian Library and Cambridge University Library. It aims to develop training programs referencing curricula from the National School of Drama, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, National Institute of Design, and standards promoted by the National Archives of India and the Museum Conservation Institute.

Activities and Programs

Activities range from field surveys inspired by expeditions of the Asiatic Society of Bengal to workshops modeled after seminars at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the Indian Statistical Institute. Programs include manuscript conservation courses analogous to offerings at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, cataloguing drives reminiscent of projects by the Royal Asiatic Society, and digitization partnerships following practice at the Smithsonian Institution and Harvard University Library. The Mission organizes conferences with participation from scholars associated with the Sahitya Akademi, Indian Council of Historical Research, Indian National Science Academy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and regional cultural bodies like the Kerala Sahitya Akademi.

Collections and Major Projects

Major projects document collections from repositories such as the Tanjore Palace, Jain libraries of Gujarat, Sanskrit College, Kolkata, Kashi Vidyapith, and private collections in Lucknow and Hyderabad. The Mission has produced catalogues and digital surrogates comparable to initiatives at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Mehfil-e-Mushaira archives, and the Chowmahalla Palace. It has prioritized scripts and codices including items in Devanagari, Persian script, Arabic alphabet, Kharosthi, and items from traditions represented in the Tripitaka Koreana and South Asian palm-leaf manuscripts akin to those preserved at the Sri Lanka National Archives.

Organizational Structure

The Mission operates through a central office linked to the Ministry of Culture and a network of manuscript resource centers modeled on nodes like the Raza Library, Rampur, Sarasvati Mahal Library, Thanjavur, Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, Mysore, and the Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University. Its governing bodies include advisory panels drawing members from the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Indian Council of Social Science Research, National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, and academic representatives from Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, and Pune University.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The Mission partners with national institutions such as the Archaeological Survey of India, National Archives of India, Allahabad Museum, and international organizations including UNESCO, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, the British Library, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Vatican Library, and universities like Oxford University, Cambridge University, Harvard University, University of Chicago, and SOAS University of London. It has engaged with philanthropic entities associated with the Tata Trusts, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and collaborations with technology partners akin to projects by Google Books and the Internet Archive.

Impact and Recognition

The Mission has enhanced accessibility to manuscript heritage paralleling efforts recognized by awards such as the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and acknowledgements from bodies like the Sahitya Akademi and Prakrit Academy. Its catalogues and digital repositories have supported scholarship cited in works from universities including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Oxford, and research projects funded by the Indian Council of Historical Research and Indian Council of Social Science Research. The Mission's conservation and training outcomes have influenced standards adopted by regional archives in Bihar, Assam, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and informed exhibitions at institutions like the National Museum, New Delhi and the National Gallery of Modern Art.

Category:Manuscript collections Category:Heritage organisations in India Category:Cultural organizations established in 2003