Asiatic Society Scans Over 2,000 Manuscripts Under Gyan Bharat Mission

New Delhi, March 30: In a significant update shared in the Lok Sabha on Monday, it was announced that the Asiatic Society in Kolkata has successfully scanned a total of 2,033 manuscripts as of March 23. These manuscripts comprise an impressive 146,099 pages. This initiative is part of the Gyan Bharat Mission, which established a cluster center for manuscript scanning.

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, provided this information in a written response. He emphasized that necessary security measures are in place at the Asiatic Society, including fire prevention systems and disaster management protocols.

The minister noted that the institution maintains continuous communication with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the West Bengal government’s Fire and Emergency Department, and local police.

To date, the Society has digitized 11,528 manuscripts, totaling 572,890 pages. Shekhawat explained that financial assistance from the ministry supports the Society’s core activities, which are regularly reviewed as needed.

He also mentioned that the historic building of the Asiatic Society is under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is responsible for its repair and conservation.

Furthermore, the Society’s museum is equipped to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels for the preservation of manuscripts, rare books, and artifacts. Regular assessments of the condition of these items are conducted by cataloging staff and other officials under the supervision of curators.

The institution also has its own conservation and binding section. Since the establishment of the manuscript conservation center in 2022, 35,624 pages have been preserved, and 4,596 rare pages have been repaired. Cataloging in the museum and archive section is a routine process.