In a landmark step towards preserving India’s ancient knowledge systems, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12th September 2025 launched the ‘Gyan Bharatam Portal’, a dedicated digital platform for manuscript digitisation, preservation, and public access. The launch took place at the International Conference on Gyan Bharatam, held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, underscoring the government’s commitment to reclaiming and safeguarding India’s rich manuscript heritage.
About the Gyan Bharatam Portal
The Gyan Bharatam Portal has been developed as a national platform with multiple objectives,
- Digitisation & Preservation: Identifying, documenting, conserving, and digitising India’s vast manuscript heritage.
- National Digital Repository: Creating a centralised digital library accessible to scholars and the public.
- AI-driven Access: Leveraging modern technologies like artificial intelligence for search, translation, and annotation of manuscripts.
- Research & Publication: Facilitating research, translation, and publication of rare and ancient manuscripts.
- Capacity Building: Training scholars, conservators, and institutions in manuscript preservation techniques.
- Public Participation: Collaborative programs to involve the wider public in heritage conservation.
- Global Collaboration: Establishing international partnerships for knowledge exchange and preservation best practices.
The International Conference on Gyan Bharatam
- The three-day conference on “Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy through Manuscript Heritage” is being organised by the Union Ministry of Culture from 11–13 September 2025.
- The event has brought together over 1,100 participants, including scholars, experts, institutions, and cultural practitioners from India and abroad.
- It provides a platform for discussion, exchange of ideas, and policy directions on digitisation, preservation, and public access to manuscripts.
- The conference includes an exhibition on India’s manuscript tradition, which PM Modi also visited during the launch.
Significance of the Initiative
India possesses one of the largest collections of manuscripts in the world, covering diverse subjects such as philosophy, medicine, astronomy, literature, and governance. However, many of these are fragile and risk being lost without timely digitisation.
The Gyan Bharatam initiative is significant because,
- It preserves and safeguards ancient manuscripts for future generations.
- It provides open access to knowledge through digital platforms.
- It integrates traditional wisdom into modern education systems, aligning with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
- It supports the vision of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047, by valuing cultural heritage as a cornerstone of progress.
Vision and Way Forward
The Gyan Bharatam Portal is not only about preservation but also about reviving India’s knowledge traditions in a modern, accessible form. Through AI-based search tools, global collaborations, and integration with education, the initiative can create a knowledge bridge between the past and the future.
It aligns with India’s larger cultural revival and global soft power strategy, projecting India as the custodian of ancient wisdom in the digital age.
Important Takeaways & Static Facts
- Event: Launch of Gyan Bharatam Portal
- Launched by: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Date: 12 September 2025
- Venue: Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
- Organiser: Union Ministry of Culture
- Conference Theme: “Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy through Manuscript Heritage”
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