New 'Gyan Bharatam Mission' To Safeguard India’s Ancient Knowledge: Over One Crore Manuscripts To Be Documented And Conserved

In the 2025-26 Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Gyan Bharatam Mission, under which one crore manuscripts will be conserved and documented.

This initiative seeks to safeguard and enhance India's vast intellectual heritage and the move aligns with the Modi government’s broader vision to integrate ancient wisdom with modern education and technology.

"A Gyan Bharatam Mission for survey, documentation and conservation of our manuscript heritage with academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collectors will be undertaken to cover more than 1 crore manuscripts," FM Sitharaman announced in her budget speech on Saturday (1 February).

Sitharaman also announced plans to set up a national digital repository of Indian knowledge systems (IKS) for knowledge sharing.

Welcoming the news initiative, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhwat said that the Budget 2025 is reflective of PM Modi's commitment towards the preservation and promotion of India's cultural heritage and civilisational inheritance.

"A new central sector scheme National Mission for Manuscripts, the Gyan Bharatam Mission for Survey, Documentation and Conservation of our Manuscripts heritage that covers more than 1 crore manuscripts, the setup of a National Digital Repository of Indian Knowledge system among others testify our government’s commitment to ensure we stay rooted & preserve and promote our Virasat as we make strides towards Viksit Bharat," Shekhawat added.

Since assuming power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has taken several steps to reshape India’s educational landscape.

The most notable of these efforts began in 2020 with the introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP), which aims to infuse the education system with the values and knowledge of Indian culture.

In support of this policy, the Ministry of Education established the Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā Vibhāga in October 2020, The Print reported.

This new division focuses on Indian Knowledge Systems, promoting a curriculum that includes traditional disciplines such as yoga, philosophy, and mathematics, among others.

The National Archives of India also plays a crucial role in this cultural endeavor by digitising its extensive collection of documents and manuscripts, ensuring they are preserved for future generations and accessible to the public.

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