New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI) Manuscripts are "not merely archival records" but living repositories of civilisational knowledge, a top official of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) on Friday said, calling for a collaborative engagement with scholars, technologists and cultural practitioners for their preservation.

The IGNCA, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, launched a volume on the preservation and interpretation of India's manuscript heritage, officials said.

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'Pandulipi Evam Samikshit Patha Sampadan' (Abhinav Paramarsh ke Sath) is authored by Vasantkumar M Bhatt.

In his address on the occasion, Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA, emphasised the need to "bring manuscriptology into wider discourse beyond academic circles".

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"Manuscripts are not merely archival records but living repositories of civilisational knowledge that must be actively studied, interpreted and shared," he said.

In his address, he mentioned about the 'Gyan Bharatam' mission of the Union government, under which efforts are being made to integrate traditional knowledge systems, particularly manuscripts, into contemporary educational and cultural frameworks.

Since its inception, the IGNCA has been a key institution in manuscriptology, undertaking wide-ranging and major works that extend beyond national borders, a senior official said.

Joshi highlighted that IGNCA has led efforts to preserve manuscripts from India, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia and others.

He underlined that such vast undertakings cannot be sustained by a single institution alone and called for "collaborative engagement" with scholars, technologists and cultural practitioners.

Joshi emphasised on the need for greater societal awareness about manuscripts, saying the responsibility "extends beyond one institution".

"These texts must not remain with conservators alone; their meaning must be accessible to all," he said.

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