Bhubaneswar: The state has been witnessing an encouraging response to the Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM), with a large number of individuals and institutions coming forward to digitise rare manuscripts in their possession.Although the mission was launched in Feb last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, work in Odisha began three months ago. Since then, close to 65,000 manuscripts have been registered under the initiative for digitisation, according to official reports. Unlike many other states, where registrations include both palm-leaf manuscripts and paper copies, Odisha’s entries consist exclusively of palm-leaf manuscripts.The mission, aimed at preserving India’s vast and diverse knowledge heritage, focuses on digitising ancient manuscripts, many of which are written on palm leaves and are vulnerable to decay over time. In the state, such manuscripts are traditionally preserved in monasteries, temples, mutts and private collections, often passed down through generations.Deba Prasad Dash, nodal officer for the mission in Odisha and joint secretary in the culture department, said the growing participation reflects increasing awareness about the need to safeguard cultural and intellectual assets. Several institutions, including religious bodies and research organisations, have actively joined the effort, while many individuals have also shown willingness to share their collections for digitisation.“The mission has a survey application through which manuscript owners can register and express their interest in submitting their collections either permanently or temporarily for digitisation. Contributors need not part with their collections permanently. Those unwilling to donate can provide the manuscripts temporarily to the State Museum for digitisation and conservation, after which they will be safely returned,” he said.To make the process more accessible, the govt has also made provisions for on-site digitisation. “After the Odia Pakhya celebrations, we will initiate a door-to-door survey. Teams will visit interested individuals to assist them in registering on the app,” Dash added. Following registration, specialised digitisation teams will visit the premises, digitally archive the manuscripts and return them without requiring physical transfer.Officials said 22 locations across the state, including Nayagarh, Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar, have been identified as having significant manuscript wealth at both individual and institutional levels.Two institutions, the Sanskrit department of Utkal University and Sarasvati, a cultural institution in Bhadrak, have been selected to carry out digitisation activities under the mission. Experts believe the drive will not only help preserve fragile manuscripts but also make their contents accessible to scholars, researchers and the public.
