CHONGKHAM, SEP 4:
An advanced manuscript scanning machine was handed over to the Arunachal Pali Vidyapeeth at Chongkham on Friday to facilitate the digitisation and preservation of rare manuscripts and traditional knowledge.
The machine was handed over by Namsai Deputy Commissioner in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Bhantes, officials and members of the Tai-Khamti Heritage & Literature Society at a function held at the Vidyapeeth’s conference hall.
The specialised equipment has been provided by the Department of Research, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, for manuscript digitisation under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, a Government of India initiative aimed at preserving, digitising and making accessible the country’s rich manuscript heritage and traditional knowledge.
Speaking on the occasion, Mein stressed the importance of preserving Arunachal Pradesh’s literary, cultural and traditional knowledge for future generations. He said community-preserved manuscripts were not merely historical documents but repositories of knowledge, language, wisdom, culture and heritage passed down through generations.
Mein appreciated the Department of Research for providing the specialised equipment and called for systematic digitisation, scientific preservation and documentation of manuscripts preserved by the Arunachal Pali Vidyapeeth and the Tai-Khamti community. He said digitisation would help protect fragile manuscripts from deterioration while making their contents accessible to scholars, researchers and future generations.
He further said the Gyan Bharatam Mission offered an important opportunity to showcase Arunachal Pradesh’s manuscript heritage at the national and global levels. He called upon institutions, scholars, community organisations and manuscript custodians to work collectively to identify, document and preserve the state’s manuscript wealth.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the systematic preservation and digitisation of rare manuscripts and contribute to safeguarding the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Tai-Khamti community.
