SHOPIAN, APRIL 01: Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Shopian, Dr. Nasir Ahmad Lone, Wednesday chaired a review meeting at the Meeting Hall, Mini Secretariat Shopian to assess the implementation of the newly launched Mission Gyan Bharatam in the district.
At the outset, the ADDC, as per an official statement, briefed officers and field-level surveyors, including Panchayat Secretaries and Supervisors, about the objectives and significance of the mission.
He highlighted that Mission Gyan Bharatam, is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, aimed at preservation of India’s rich manuscript heritage.
The ADDC informed that dedicated teams comprising linguistic and historical experts have been constituted to undertake village-level surveys across the district.
These teams will systematically identify, verify and document rare manuscripts and valuable traditional knowledge resources preserved by individuals and institutions.
Emphasising grassroots outreach, the ADDC directed the field staff to conduct “Har Ghar Dastak” prior to undertaking the survey to ensure maximum coverage.
He further instructed that all identified materials and related data must be uploaded on the Mission Gyan Bharatam mobile application in a timely and accurate manner.
Highlighting the technological dimension, the ADDC stated that the mission focuses on scientific conservation and digitisation of manuscripts using modern tools, including artificial intelligence, to create a comprehensive national digital repository accessible to scholars, students and the general public.
He also urged officers and surveyors to actively participate in capacity-building programmes being organised by the Ministry of Culture aimed at enhancing skills related to identification, documentation and preservation of manuscripts.
During the meeting, Professor Dr. Jahangir Iqbal, Head, Department of Persian, University of Kashmir, Srinagar and UT Coordinator, Mission Gyan Bharatam (J&K), delivered a detailed presentation. He highlighted the historical backdrop and significance of the mission, emphasising the urgent need to preserve India’s vast manuscript heritage.
He elaborated that manuscripts are handwritten documents on materials such as paper, palm leaves, cloth or bark, containing invaluable knowledge related to history, science, medicine, literature, philosophy and culture, which require systematic preservation for future generations.
A detailed demonstration of the Mission Gyan Bharatam mobile application was also conducted by NIC guiding participants on its usage, data entry protocols and operational procedures.
The meeting was attended by the ACD, CEO, CDPOs, BDOs, besides employees from the Rural Development Department, Child Development Protection Office and Municipal Council Shopian.
