Bhubaneswar: A high-level meeting on the survey, conservation, and digitisation of ancient palm leaf manuscripts was held at Lokaseba Bhawan under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anu Garg.
The chief secretary appealed to the public to cooperate in preserving these valuable cultural assets and urged individuals to voluntarily register manuscripts in their possession.
The initiative is part of the Government of India’s ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’, which aims to create a central National Digital Repository through survey, collection, conservation, and digitisation of manuscripts across the country.
Odisha’s rich collection of palm leaf manuscripts, available in Sanskrit, Pali, Odia, and other regional languages, is expected to contribute significantly to the repository and support research, cataloguing, and preservation.
Officials informed that around 53,950 manuscripts have been registered in the state so far. The Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture is undertaking survey and digitisation work, with priority being given to collections at religious institutions, heritage sites, and private holdings.
It was discussed that locations and individuals with a higher number of registered manuscripts would be surveyed first, followed by a wider coverage of all registered collections.
To expedite the process, the department has urged registration through the ‘Gyan Bharatam’ mobile app. Officials will also conduct field visits where voluntary registration is not feasible.
The survey under the mission commenced on March 16, 2026, and is scheduled to continue for three months. Awareness activities are ongoing to encourage participation.
Districts such as Ganjam, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Nayagarh, and Puri have reported higher registrations, and special focus will be given to these areas.
Garg also directed that district-wise data of registered manuscripts be shared with District Magistrates to ensure faster and more efficient execution of the survey.
