Parliament Question: Manuscript Clusters and Partner Institutions under Gyan Bharatam Initiative

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1214 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2026 Manuscript Clusters and Partner Institutions under Gyan Bharatam Initiative 1214. Shri B K Parthasarathi: Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state: (a) the details of the number and list of manuscript clusters and partner institutions identified under the Gyan Bharatam Initiative, along with the criteria adopted for their selection, State/UT-wise; (b) the details of the number of manuscripts identified, digitised, conserved and restored under the Initiative, including manuscripts catalogued and made publicly accessible, State/UT-wise; (c) the details of the funds sanctioned, released and utilised under the said Initiative, State/UT and year-wise, since its inception; (d) the details of the measures taken to preserve, digitise and promote Telugu-language manuscripts, including details of partner institutions, projects supported and manuscripts covered in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; and (e) whether the Government proposes to expand the network of manuscript clusters and digitisation facilities, particularly for regional language manuscripts and if so, the details thereof along with timeline for implementation? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) The Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM) has been mandated to establish a nation-wide network of Cluster Centers (CCs) and Independent Centers (ICs) across the country. These institutions have been selected based on prescribed criteria, including the size and significance of manuscript collections, institutional capacity, availability of qualified manpower and infrastructure, regional representation, and experience in manuscript-related activities. A list of CCs/ICs onboarded so far is at annexure. (b) National Manuscript Survey was launched in March, 2026 across all States and Union Territories of the country to identify and document manuscript holdings, repositories and custodians representing diverse languages and scripts. During the survey, more than 1.19 crore manuscripts have been reported. The total number of digitized manuscripts available across the country is over 8 lakh, out of which, more than 3.90 lakh manuscripts are available on Gyan Bharatam portal at present for public access in view mode.(c) The year-wise budget sanctioned and allocated under GBM is as hereunder: Financial Year Sanctioned Budget Actual Expenditure (In Cr.) (In Cr.) 2024-25 3.50 2.63 2025-26 15.00 14.25 2026-27 60.00 4.48 (d) Gyan Bharatam, is a Pan-India initiative covering cataloguing, conservation, digitization and publication of manuscripts identified across the country. For effective implementation, a framework of Cluster Centres and Independent Centres has been envisaged. These centres are provided financial assistance in form of grant-in-aid to undertake manuscript related activities as elaborated above. The list of onboarded centers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is at annexure. (e) Gyan Bharatam envisages the identification, documentation, conservation, digitisation, research, publication and dissemination of India's manuscript heritage irrespective of script, language, dialect, tradition, community or geographical location. Eligible repositories having manuscripts are considered for onboarding with GBM in accordance with the Mission guidelines, subject to physical verification, institutional readiness and availability of resources, funds etc.Annexure S. No. State/UT Organisation Centre Type 1 Assam Dept. of Sanskrit, Assam University, Silchar Cluster 2 Bihar Nava Nalanda Mahavihar, Nalanda Cluster 3 Delhi University Library Jamia Hamdard Cluster 4 Delhi Central Sanskrit University Cluster 5 Gujarat Shruta Ratnakara, Ahmedabad Cluster 6 Himachal Pradesh Himachal State Museum, Shimla Cluster 7 J & K Dept. of Persian, University of Kashmir, Srinagar Cluster 8 J & K Shasvat Art Gallery Jammu Cluster 9 Karnataka Samskriti Foundation, Mysuru Cluster 10 Karnataka Oriental Research Institute, Mysuru Cluster 11 Karnataka Karnataka Sanskrit University, Bengaluru Cluster 12 Kerala Oriental Research Institute & Manuscript Library, University of Cluster Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 13 Ladakh Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh Cluster 14 Madhya Pradesh Department of Sanskrit, Dr. Hari Singh Gour University, Sagar Cluster 15 Maharashtra Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra Cluster 16 Maharashtra Kavikulguru Kalidas University, Maharashtra Cluster 17 Gujarat Oriental Institute, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Cluster Vadodara 18 Manipur Manipur State Archives, Imphal Cluster 19 Odisha SARASVATI Bhadrak Cluster 20 Odisha Department of Sanskrit, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar Cluster 21 Rajasthan Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, Jaipur Cluster 22 Rajasthan Vishwa Gurudeep Ashram Shodh Sansthan, Jaipur Cluster 23 Sikkim Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok Cluster 24 Telangana Telangana State Archives & Research Institute, Hyderabad Cluster 25 Uttar Pradesh Vrindavan Research Institute Cluster 26 Uttarakhand Shri Laxmidhar Acharya Chakradhar Joshi Vidyamandir Shodh Cluster Sansthan, Nakshatra Vedhshala, Devprayag 27 Uttarakhand University of Patanjali Cluster 28 West Bengal The Asiatic Society, Kolkata Cluster 29 Haryana Kurukshetra University, Thanesar, Kurukshetra, Haryana Cluster 30 Andhra Pradesh Sanatan Jeevan Trust, Tirupati Independent 31 Bihar Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna Independent 32 Bihar Shri Shankaracharya Math, Bodh Gaya Independent 33 Gujarat Adhyatma Parivar Trust, Surat Independent 34 J&K Sri Maharaja Ranbir Singh Sanskrit Research Institute, Jammu Independent 35 Karnataka Tara Prakashan Vedic Library & Research Centre, Bangaluru Independent 36 Kerala Sevadhi Museum & Ideological Research Institute, Kottayam Independent 37 Kerala Chinmaya International Foundation, Ernakulam Independent 38 Madhya Pradesh Anekant Gyan Mandir Bina Independent 39 Madhya Pradesh Scindia Oriental Research Institute, Ujjain Independent 40 Maharashtra Anandashram Samstha, Pune Independent 41 Maharashtra BHARAT ITIHAS SANSHODHAK MANDAL, Pune Independent 42 Rajasthan Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan Independent 43 Rajasthan Abhay Jain Granthalaya, Bikaner Independent 44 Rajasthan Padmashri Narayan Das Pandulipi Shodh Sansthan, Jaipur Independent 45 Uttar Pradesh Nagari Pracharini Sabha, Varanasi Independent 46 Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Prayagraj Independent 47 West Bengal University of Kolkata Independent *****