**Summary: Gyan Bharatam Mission**
The Gyan Bharatam Mission, under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, aims to identify, document, preserve, and disseminate knowledge contained within Indian manuscripts. The mission's primary objectives include: (1) identifying all Indian manuscripts; (2) collecting metadata and creating a comprehensive list of manuscripts held by institutions and individuals; (3) ensuring the proper conservation of rare and important manuscripts; (4) implementing a standardized framework for scientific preservation and conservation; (5) creating a National Digital Repository (NDR) for all identified manuscripts; (6) facilitating monetization for custodians of identified manuscripts; (7) publishing selected manuscripts for wider dissemination; (8) providing controlled access to manuscripts in the NDR for research, translation, publication, and other scholarly activities under a monetization model; and (9) establishing a physical storage facility for rare and important manuscripts.
The mission will leverage digital technologies such as virtual museums, online archives, and a National Digital Repository (NDR) to digitize and showcase Indian manuscripts. It will employ technologies like AI, cloud platforms, and mobile apps to enable easy access, research, translation, and monetization while ensuring preservation and wider dissemination of knowledge.
The financial outlay for the mission as per Budget Estimate (BE) 2025-26 is Rs. 60 crores. There is no state-wise allocation specifically earmarked for Himachal Pradesh. The Minister of Culture and Tourism responsible for the mission is Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Key Entities Referenced
Gyan Bharatam Mission: A mission by the Ministry of Culture to identify, preserve, and digitize Indian manuscripts and promote wider dissemination of knowledge.
Ministry of Culture: The government ministry responsible for the Gyan Bharatam Mission and answering questions related to it in the Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where questions regarding the Gyan Bharatam Mission were raised.
Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat: The Minister of Culture and Tourism, responsible for answering questions related to the Gyan Bharatam Mission.
National Digital Repository NDR: A digital repository to be created under the Gyan Bharatam Mission for storing and providing access to digitized Indian manuscripts.
Himachal Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of state-wise financial allocation for the Gyan Bharatam Mission.
Indian manuscripts: The core focus of the Gyan Bharatam Mission, encompassing a wide range of historical and cultural documents.
AI: Artificial Intelligence technologies which will be used to enable easy access, research, translation, and monetization, while ensuring preservation and wider dissemination of knowledge.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3999
TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025
Gyan Bharatam Mission
†3999. Smt. Himadri Singh:
Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar:
Shri Arun Govil:
Shri Anil Firojiya:
Ms Kangna Ranaut:
Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:
(a) the primary objectives of ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’;
(a) the details of the plan formulated under the Mission to leverage digital technologies like virtual
museums, online archives etc.; and
(b) the details of the financial outlay of the said Mission for the current financial year 2025-26 across
the country, State/UT-wise, particularly in Himachal Pradesh?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) The primary objectives of the Gyan Bharatam Mission are as follows:
1. To identify all Indian manuscripts.
2. To collect metadata and prepare a comprehensive list of manuscripts preserved by
institutions and individuals.
3. To ensure the proper conservation of rare and important manuscripts.
4. To implement a standardized framework for the scientific preservation and conservation of
manuscripts held by institutions and individuals.
5. To create a National Digital Repository (NDR) for all identified manuscripts.
6. To facilitate monetization for the benefit of thecustodians of the identified manuscripts.
7. To publish selected manuscripts for the wider dissemination of knowledge.
8. To provide controlled access to manuscripts in the National Digital Repository (NDR) for
research, translation, publication, and other scholarly activities under a monetization model.9. To establish a physical storage facility for rare and important manuscripts using long-term
archival materials such as archival paper, plastic imaging, wafer-fiche, etc.
(b) The mission aims to use digital tools like virtual museums, online archives, and a National Digital
Repository (NDR) to digitize and showcase Indian Manuscripts. Technologies such as AI, cloud
platforms, and mobile apps will enable easy access, research, translation, and monetization, while
ensuring preservation and wider dissemination of knowledge.
(c) The financial outlay as per BE 2025-26 is Rs. 60 crores for the Mission. However, there is no
State-wise allocation being made against Himachal Pradesh.
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