India To Host First Global Conference On Manuscript Heritage In September—All About It

The Ministry of Culture has announced that India will host its first-ever international conference on manuscript heritage from 11 to 13 September at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Titled ‘Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy Through Manuscript Heritage’, the event aims to bring global attention to India’s vast and diverse manuscript tradition.

The three-day event, announced on the occasion of Guru Purnima, will feature participation from over 500 delegates, including 75 scholars and cultural experts from India and abroad. It will be held in a hybrid format to allow both in-person and virtual participation.

India is home to more than 10 million manuscripts in various languages and subjects such as philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine, rituals, and literature.

According to the Ministry, these texts represent “the living essence of Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā (Indian Knowledge Systems)” and are key to understanding the country’s civilisational heritage.

The conference will include sessions on a wide range of topics including manuscript conservation, digitisation, artificial intelligence in archiving, ethical handling of manuscripts, and their inclusion in educational curricula.

Startups working on manuscript-related technologies will also be featured.

One of the key outcomes expected is the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on Manuscript Heritage, along with the formation of working groups on conservation, decipherment, translation, and digital preservation.

The Ministry will also launch a Manuscript Research Partner programme to engage students and researchers through training and digital content projects.

Scholars are invited to submit research paper abstracts in Hindi or English by 10 August via the official conference website.

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