Ceremony Highlights
The event, graced by Union Minister of Culture & Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, marked a historic moment for India’s cultural renaissance. He lauded Gyan Bharatam as a visionary initiative aimed at decoding India’s ancient manuscripts and reaffirming their relevance today. Shri Shekhawat stressed that quality must not be compromised for speed in this pursuit, envisioning India as a “Prāṇamaya Bhārata”—a nation vibrant with living knowledge.
The proceedings began with a welcome address by the Secretary, Ministry of Culture, who highlighted the mission of manuscript preservation with precision and unity. Shri Samar Nanda, Joint Secretary, facilitated the formal exchange of MoUs, symbolizing the expansion of the Gyan Bharatam family.
Gyan Bharatam Framework
Under the Gyan Bharatam framework, 12 Cluster Centres and 5 Independent Centres have been established as key implementing partners. These centres will focus on five core verticals:
- Survey & Cataloguing
- Conservation & Capacity Building
- Technology & Digitization
- Linguistics & Translation
- Research, Publication & Outreach
These efforts ensure both regional coordination and institutional autonomy to rejuvenate India’s manuscript heritage.
National Digital Repository and Budget Support
Announced in the Union Budget 2025–26 (Para 84), Gyan Bharatam is dedicated to identifying, documenting, conserving, digitizing, and promoting India’s vast manuscript legacy. The initiative envisions creating a National Digital Repository (NDR) to make this heritage accessible on national and global platforms.
Cultural Celebration
The evening concluded with “Mere Kabir”, a Dastangoi musical performance by Syed Sahil Agha and Nizam Premi of the Dilli Gharana, celebrating India’s profound spiritual and literary traditions. The performance was followed by a dinner reception for dignitaries and guests.
A Step Toward Cultural Renaissance
The MoU Signing Ceremony stands as a landmark in India’s cultural renaissance, transforming preservation into participation and archives into living sources of knowledge. Through Gyan Bharatam, India reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding its timeless intellectual and spiritual heritage for future generations.
Source
Content sourced from: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Delhi, posted on October 25, 2025, at 10:35 PM.