New Delhi, Sep 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal, a landmark initiative aimed at accelerating the digitisation of India’s vast manuscript collection and unlocking new opportunities for research, innovation, and youth engagement.
Highlighting that millions of manuscripts were destroyed over centuries, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of preserving and digitising India’s surviving treasures. He noted that despite historical losses, India still possesses the world’s largest collection—around one crore manuscripts—a matter of immense national pride.
“India is not just a geography but a civilisational identity with its own soul and consciousness,” PM Modi said, underlining that history must be understood beyond dynasties and battles. He added that just as nations safeguard even a single manuscript as a symbol of cultural greatness, India must transform its vast heritage into a strength for the future.
Emphasising India’s knowledge tradition, the Prime Minister said it rests on four pillars: Preservation, Innovation, Addition, and Adaptation. He explained that digitised manuscripts will serve as a vast databank, feeding into the global cultural and creative industry, valued at nearly $2.5 trillion.
The Prime Minister highlighted how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can revolutionise manuscript study—helping decode, interpret, and present ancient wisdom in authentic ways to the world. “AI can make ancient knowledge accessible on evidence-based parameters and present it in impactful forms globally,” he noted.
Urging youth to actively participate in the Gyan Bharatam Mission, PM Modi said the initiative would open new pathways in technology, academia, and research. He also called upon universities and institutes to lead in this transformative effort.
Framing the mission as part of the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat, PM Modi concluded that Gyan Bharatam will mark the beginning of a new chapter in connecting India’s heritage with its future aspirations.
