In a major initiative to preserve and promote India’s vast manuscript wealth, the Ministry of Culture on Thursday announced the country’s first-ever global conference dedicated to manuscript heritage.
Titled ‘Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy Through Manuscript Heritage’, the three-day international conference will be held from 11 to 13 September at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The announcement was made on the occasion of Guru Purnima, underlining India’s commitment to the guru–śiṣya tradition and its centuries-old knowledge systems.
The conference is being organised in respectful commemoration of Swami Vivekananda’s historic address at the Parliament of the World’s Religions on September 11, 1893. The date holds special significance as a reminder of India’s enduring vision for universal knowledge and peace.
India is home to more than 10 million manuscripts covering diverse subjects such as philosophy, science, medicine, mathematics, literature, rituals, and arts. These manuscripts are considered a vital link in sustaining the country’s intellectual and cultural legacy.
The conference will bring together over 500 delegates, including 75 distinguished scholars, thought leaders, and cultural custodians from India and abroad. Designed in a hybrid format, it will allow both in-person and virtual participation to ensure wider global engagement.
Thematic sessions will cover key areas such as conservation, digitisation, palaeography, metadata standards, AI-based archival practices, ethical custodianship, and the integration of manuscript knowledge into modern education. Rare manuscripts, including those listed under UNESCO’s Memory of the World register, will be showcased. The event will also feature live demonstrations of conservation techniques, workshops, cultural performances, and dedicated spaces for manuscript-focused startups.
One of the key outcomes of the conference will be the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on Manuscript Heritage. Expert working groups will be formed for decipherment, conservation, translation, and digital archiving. The Ministry also plans to launch the Manuscript Research Partner (MRP) programme to provide hands-on training and script labs for young scholars.
Researchers and scholars are invited to submit original research papers and case studies in Hindi or English on themes including conservation, codicology, legal frameworks, education, cultural diplomacy, and technological innovations related to manuscripts. Abstracts must be submitted by 10 August 2025 through the official website https://gbm-moc.in. Queries and full papers can be sent to gbmconference@gmail.com.