The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in India, aimed at preserving the country's rich manuscript heritage. The mission focuses on locating, documenting, conserving, and digitizing manuscripts that are crucial to India's cultural identity.
The Indian government has allocated a significant budget of nearly ₹500 crore to support the NMM over a span of six years. This funding is essential for the various activities undertaken by the mission.
A Special Finance Committee has been established to manage and allocate the funds effectively to the NMM, ensuring that the resources are utilized in the best possible manner for manuscript preservation.
As part of its efforts, the NMM has documented roughly 5.2 million manuscripts from diverse locations across India, making it a vital resource for researchers and historians.
Recently announced in the Union Budget, the Gyan Bharatam Mission aims to further the objectives of the NMM. While it is still unclear if it will operate as an extension of the NMM or as a separate entity, the Budget document suggests an ambitious goal of covering over one crore manuscripts.
The NMM was officially established in February 2003 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Initially, it functioned under the auspices of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), with funding routed through the Sahitya Akademi during specific periods.
As of now, the NMM has transitioned to a Central sector scheme, meaning it is entirely sponsored and implemented by Central agencies. This shift is aimed at enhancing its operational autonomy and management efficiency.
Manuscripts preserved and documented by the NMM can be found in various repositories, including:
The move towards making the NMM more autonomous is intended to provide focused management of its critical work. The substantial ₹500 crore funding allocation through a special committee is part of this strategic effort to enhance the mission's impact.
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