The government has intensified efforts to preserve India’s rich manuscript heritage through the Gyan Bharatam Mission, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Culture aimed at large scale digitisation, documentation and public access to historical manuscripts, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Rajya Sabha.
Announced in the Union Budget 2025 26, the mission focuses on a comprehensive framework that includes survey and registration, conservation, digitisation, publication, capacity building and development of robust technology infrastructure for manuscript management across the country.
Large Scale Digitisation And Public Access
More than 8 lakh manuscripts have already been digitised in formats such as DVDs, hard drives and microfilms. These are currently being reformatted in accordance with Gyan Bharatam standard operating procedures to ensure uniformity and long term preservation.
Out of these, 1.29 lakh manuscripts have been made accessible to the public through the National Digital Repository, marking a significant step towards democratising access to India’s cultural and intellectual heritage.
National Manuscript Survey Gains Momentum
A nationwide manuscript survey launched on March 16, 2026 is underway to identify, document and create a comprehensive database of manuscripts held by institutions, private collectors, scholars, temples, mutts and libraries.
So far, data on more than 12.97 lakh manuscripts has been reported, indicating the vast scale of India’s manuscript wealth and the need for systematic preservation efforts.
During the financial year 2025 26, an expenditure of 13.29 crore has been incurred as of March 15, reflecting the government’s commitment to scaling up the initiative.
Nationwide Institutional Network Strengthened
To ensure effective implementation, the mission is establishing a nationwide network of Cluster Centres and Independent Centres, bringing together universities, research institutions, archives and cultural organisations.
Cluster Centres
S No State Organisation Name
1 Assam Dept of Sanskrit Assam University Silchar
2 Bihar Nava Nalanda Mahavihar Nalanda
3 Delhi University Library Jamia Hamdard
4 Delhi Central Sanskrit University
5 Gujarat Shruta Ratnakara Ahmedabad
6 Gujarat Oriental Institute Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda Vadodara
7 Himachal Pradesh Himachal State Museum Shimla
8 Jammu and Kashmir Dept of Persian University of Kashmir Srinagar
9 Jammu and Kashmir Shasvat Art Gallery Jammu
10 Karnataka Samskriti Foundation Mysuru
11 Karnataka Oriental Research Institute Mysuru
12 Karnataka Karnataka Sanskrit University Bengaluru
13 Kerala Oriental Research Institute and Manuscript Library University of Kerala Thiruvananthapuram
14 Ladakh Central Institute of Buddhist Studies Leh
15 Manipur Manipur State Archives
16 Madhya Pradesh Department of Sanskrit Dr Hari Singh Gour University Sagar
17 Maharashtra Kavi Kulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University Nagpur
18 Maharashtra Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute Pune
19 Odisha SARASVATI Bhadrak
20 Odisha Department of Sanskrit Utkal University Bhubaneswar
21 Rajasthan Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy Jaipur
22 Rajasthan Vishwa Gurudeep Ashram Shodh Sansthan Jaipur
23 Sikkim Namgyal Institute of Tibetology Gangtok
24 Telangana Telangana State Archives and Research Institute Hyderabad
25 Uttar Pradesh Vrindavan Research Institute Vrindavan
26 Uttarakhand Shri Laxmidhar Acharya Chakradhar Joshi Vidyamandir Shodh Sansthan Nakshatra Vedhshala Devprayag
27 Uttarakhand University of Patanjali
28 West Bengal The Asiatic Society Kolkata
Independent Centres
S No State Organisation Name
1 Andhra Pradesh Sanatan Jeevan Trust Tirupati
2 Bihar Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library Patna
3 Bihar Bodh Gaya Math Gaya
4 Gujarat Adhyatma Parivar Trust Surat
5 Haryana Kurukshetra University Kurukshetra
6 Karnataka Tara Prakashan Vedic Library and Research Centre Bengaluru
7 Kerala Sevadhi Museum and Ideological Research Institute Kottayam
8 Kerala Chinmaya International Foundation Ernakulam
9 Maharashtra Anandashram Samsthan Pune
10 Maharashtra Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal Sadashiv Peth Pune
11 Madhya Pradesh Anekant Gyan Mandir Bina
12 Madhya Pradesh Scindia Oriental Research Institute Ujjain
13 Rajasthan Abhay Jain Granthalaya Bikaner
14 Rajasthan Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute Jodhpur
15 Rajasthan Padmashri Narayan Das Pandulipi Shodh Sansthan Jaipur
16 Uttar Pradesh Nagari Pracharini Sabha Varanasi
17 Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sahitya Sammelan Prayagraj
18 West Bengal University of Kolkata
Technology Driven Preservation And Research
The mission aims to build a robust digital ecosystem that enables not only preservation but also research, publication and global dissemination of manuscripts. By integrating technology with cultural conservation, the initiative seeks to create a long term knowledge repository accessible to scholars and the public alike.
The establishment of cluster and independent centres is expected to enhance regional participation, ensure decentralised execution and strengthen collaboration between institutions and experts.
The Gyan Bharatam Mission represents a major step towards safeguarding India’s intellectual heritage while making it accessible for future generations through digitisation and research driven initiatives.
