India to Host First Global Conference on Manuscript Heritage in September 2025

In a monumental step toward preserving and revitalising India’s ancient intellectual heritage, the Government of India, through the Ministry of Culture, will host the first-ever Global Conference on Manuscript Heritage. Scheduled for September 11 to 13, 2025, the event will take place at the prestigious Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

The conference, titled “Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy Through Manuscript Heritage,” is part of the newly launched Gyan Bharatam Mission, which aims to digitise, conserve, and bring ancient Indian manuscripts into the mainstream academic and educational ecosystem.

Why This Conference Is Historic

This will be the first global conference dedicated exclusively to India’s vast and diverse manuscript heritage, bringing together:

• Over 500 delegates

• 75+ eminent scholars, academicians, and cultural experts

• International and national thought leaders and heritage professionals

The event will be held in hybrid mode, allowing virtual and physical participation to ensure maximum global outreach.

Conference Dates and Symbolic Significance

The conference begins on September 11, the day when Swami Vivekananda delivered his iconic address at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago (1893). This powerful historical reference underlines India’s commitment to sharing its spiritual and intellectual wisdom with the world.

Key Themes and Sessions

The three-day conference will focus on the scientific, educational, and cultural dimensions of manuscript preservation and digitisation. Sessions will cover:

Manuscript Conservation and Restoration

Techniques for preserving palm-leaf, birch-bark, and ancient paper manuscripts.

Digitisation Tools and Technologies

Use of AI, Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR), IIIF protocols, and open-access platforms for manuscript archiving.

Palaeography and Codicology

Understanding ancient scripts and manuscript structure.

Ethical and Legal Frameworks

Custodianship laws, ownership rights, and ethical access to private and institutional collections.

Metadata Standards

International best practices for documentation and archival research.

Exhibition and Demonstrations

Alongside academic sessions, the event will feature:

• Rare Manuscript Exhibitions including those listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

• Live conservation demonstrations

• Workshops and script training labs

• Startup Pavilion for innovative tech in digitisation and archival solutions

• Cultural performances themed on India’s literary heritage

Gyan Bharatam Mission: A National Renaissance

The conference is the flagship event of the Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM), announced in the Union Budget 2025–26, which seeks to:

• Revive the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) launched in 2003.

• Train a new generation of manuscript scholars, conservators, and language experts.

• Establish interdisciplinary research networks and institutional partnerships.

• Integrate manuscript knowledge into modern education.

Major Announcements Expected

The Ministry of Culture is expected to unveil several initiatives during the conference, including:

New Delhi Declaration on Manuscript Heritage

A globally endorsed policy framework on manuscript preservation and access.

Manuscript Research Partner (MRP) Programme

Hands-on training, mentorship, and capacity-building for young scholars.

Formation of Expert Groups

Working groups for decipherment, translation, conservation, and digital archival.

India’s Manuscript Wealth: A Global Treasure

India holds over 10 million manuscripts — one of the world’s largest collections — housed in:

• Temples, monasteries, and mathas

• Jain bhandāras, libraries, and private collections

• Covering subjects like Ayurveda, Philosophy, Mathematics, Astronomy, Vedic rituals, Sanskriti, and Darśana

These texts are written in dozens of scripts and languages, including Devanagari, Sharada, Tamil, Grantha, Brahmi, Perso-Arabic, and more.

Conclusion

The Global Conference on Manuscript Heritage 2025 will serve as a global platform to spotlight India’s civilizational legacy and its future potential. It will foster collaboration, innovation, and policy formulation around manuscript preservation, linking India’s ancient wisdom to contemporary knowledge ecosystems.

This global gathering will not only celebrate India’s past but also inspire a new generation to carry forward the light of Bharatiya Gyan Parampara.

Sharing is caring!