New Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday emphasised that the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’ was set to change into a proclamation of India’s tradition, literature, and consciousness on the International Conference on Gyan Bharatam in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Addressing the gathering on the event, the Prime Minister remarked that Vigyan Bhavan is right this moment witnessing the resurgence of India’s golden previous. He highlighted that just a few days in the past, he had introduced the Gyan Bharatam Mission and inside such a brief span, the Gyan Bharatam International Conference was being organised.
PM Modi knowledgeable that the portal related to the mission has additionally been launched. Stating that this isn’t a authorities or educational occasion, the Prime Minister emphasised that the Gyan Bharatam Mission is ready to change into a proclamation of India’s tradition, literature, and consciousness.
He mirrored on the contemplative legacy of hundreds of generations. He acknowledged the knowledge and analysis of India’s nice sages, acharyas, and students, underlining India’s data, traditions and scientific heritage.
PM Modi acknowledged that by the Gyan Bharatam Mission, these legacies are being digitised. He prolonged congratulations to all residents for this mission and conveyed his greatest needs to all the Gyan Bharatam group and the Ministry of Culture.
Stating that viewing a manuscript feels akin to time journey, Modi mirrored on the huge distinction between present-day circumstances and people of the previous. He famous that right this moment, with the assistance of keyboards, we’re capable of write extensively with the comfort of delete and correction choices and thru printers, hundreds of copies of a single web page could be produced.
Urging the viewers to think about the world of centuries in the past, the Prime Minister emphasised that fashionable materials assets weren’t accessible at the moment, and our ancestors needed to rely solely on mental assets. He highlighted the meticulous consideration required whereas writing every letter.
Underlining the immense effort concerned in creating every scripture, Modi famous that even in these instances, the individuals of India constructed grand libraries that grew to become world facilities of information. The Prime Minister affirmed that India nonetheless possesses the world’s largest manuscript assortment and emphasised that there are roughly one crore manuscripts in India’s possession.
Highlighting that hundreds of thousands of manuscripts have been destroyed and misplaced within the merciless tides of historical past, PM Modi emphasised that the surviving manuscripts stand as testimony to the profound dedication of our ancestors in direction of data, science, studying, and studying.
Noting the fragility of scriptures written on bhojpatra and palm leaves and the specter of metallic corrosion in phrases inscribed on copper plates, the Prime Minister remarked that regardless of these challenges, our ancestors revered phrases as divine and served them with the spirit of ‘Akshar Brahma Bhav’.
He acknowledged that, technology after technology, households have preserved these scriptures and manuscripts with care, underlining the immense reverence for data.
PM Modi acknowledged the priority for future generations, emphasising the sense of duty in direction of society. He affirmed the spirit of devotion in direction of the nation, stating {that a} better instance of such dedication may very well be discovered.
‘India’s data custom stays wealthy to at the present time as a result of it’s constructed on 4 foundational pillars of Preservation, Innovation, Addition, and Adaptation’, exclaimed the Prime Minister. Elaborating on the primary pillar–Preservation, PM Modi famous that the Vedas, India’s most historic scriptures, are thought of the inspiration of Indian tradition. Affirming that the Vedas are supreme, he defined that earlier, the Vedas have been handed all the way down to the following technology by oral tradition–‘Shruti’. He emphasised that for hundreds of years, the Vedas have been preserved with full authenticity and with out error.
The Prime Minister then spoke concerning the second pillar–Innovation, highlighting that India repeatedly innovated in Ayurveda, Vastu Shastra, Jyotish, and metallurgy. He remarked that every technology superior past the earlier one, making historic data extra scientific. He cited texts like Surya Siddhanta and Varahamihira Samhita as examples of steady scholarly contributions and the addition of recent data.
Discussing the third pillar–Addition, PM Modi defined that each technology not solely preserves previous data but additionally contributes new insights. He cited the instance that after the unique Valmiki Ramayana, many different Ramayanas have been composed. He talked about texts like Ramcharitmanas that emerged from this custom, whereas commentaries have been written on the Vedas and Upanishads. He highlighted that Indian acharyas provided interpretations comparable to Dvaita and Advaita.
Deliberating on the fourth pillar of India’s data custom – adaptation, the Prime Minister defined that over time, India engaged in self-introspection and made obligatory adjustments. He emphasised the significance positioned on discussions and the continuation of the custom of Shastrarth. He famous that society discarded outdated concepts and embraced new ones.
PM Modi remarked that throughout the medieval interval, when varied social evils emerged, eminent figures arose who woke up societal consciousness. He highlighted that these people preserved and safeguarded India’s mental heritage.
‘Unlike fashionable notions of nationhood, India possesses a definite cultural id, its personal consciousness, and its personal soul’, acknowledged the Prime Minister, emphasising that India’s historical past will not be merely a file of dynastic victories and defeats. He famous that whereas the geography of princely states and kingdoms has modified over time, India has remained intact from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean.
He affirmed that India is a dwelling stream, formed by its ideas, beliefs, and values. ‘India’s historic manuscripts replicate the continual circulation of this civilizational journey’, exclaimed PM Modi, stating that these manuscripts are additionally declarations of unity in range. He knowledgeable that manuscripts exist in almost 80 languages throughout the nation.
He listed Sanskrit, Prakrit, Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, and Marathi among the many many languages by which India’s huge ocean of information is preserved. Highlighting that the Gilgit manuscripts present genuine historic insights into Kashmir, the Prime Minister famous that the manuscript of Kautilya’s Arthashastra reveals India’s deep understanding of political science and economics.
He acknowledged that Acharya Bhadrabahu’s Kalpasutra manuscript safeguards the traditional knowledge of Jainism and the manuscripts from Sarnath comprise the teachings of Lord Buddha. He additional emphasised that manuscripts like Rasamanjari and Geetgovind have preserved the various hues of devotion, magnificence, and literature.
‘India’s manuscripts comprise the footprints of humanity’s total developmental journey’, emphasised PM Modi, stating that these manuscripts embody philosophy and science. He famous that they embrace medication and metaphysics and likewise protect data of artwork, astronomy, and structure.
The Prime Minister remarked that numerous examples could be cited, highlighting that from arithmetic to binary-based pc science, the inspiration of recent science rests on the idea of zero.
Affirming that the invention of zero befell in India, PM Modi acknowledged that the Bakhshali manuscript incorporates proof of the traditional use of zero and mathematical formulation. He famous that Yashomitra’s Bower manuscript gives insights into centuries-old medical science.
The Prime Minister emphasised that manuscripts of texts like Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita have preserved the data of Ayurveda to at the present time. He added that the Sulva Sutra provides historic geometrical data, whereas the Krishi Parashara gives info on conventional agricultural data. He additional famous that manuscripts of texts just like the Natya Shastra assist us perceive the journey of human emotional improvement.
Stating that each nation presents its historic belongings to the world as symbols of civilizational greatness, the Prime Minister famous that international locations protect even a single manuscript or artefact as a nationwide treasure. He emphasised that India possesses an immense wealth of manuscripts, that are a matter of nationwide pleasure.
The Prime Minister shared a private expertise from his go to to Kuwait, the place he met a gentleman who possessed an intensive assortment of historic paperwork detailing India’s historic maritime commerce routes. He remarked that the gentleman approached him with nice pleasure, presenting supplies that showcased how India performed sea-based commerce centuries in the past.
The Prime Minister famous that such collections replicate the depth of India’s world engagement and the respect it instructions throughout borders. He emphasised the necessity to protect and combine these scattered treasures into the broader nationwide effort. He affirmed that these records–wherever they might be found–must be documented, digitised, and celebrated as a part of India’s civilizational heritage.
‘India has earned the belief of the world. Today, nations view India as the best place to safeguard and honour cultural heritage’, acknowledged PM Modi. He remarked that earlier, just a few stolen Indian idols have been returned. But now, tons of of historic idols are being repatriated. He emphasised that these returns are usually not pushed by sentiment or sympathy, however by confidence–confidence that India will protect and elevate their cultural worth with dignity.
The Prime Minister reiterated that India has change into a trusted custodian of heritage within the eyes of the world. He shared a private expertise from his go to to Mongolia, the place he interacted with Buddhist monks and noticed their wealthy manuscript assortment. He recounted requesting permission to work on these manuscripts, which have been then dropped at India, digitised, and respectfully returned. He affirmed that these manuscripts have now change into a treasured legacy for the Mongolian individuals.
Affirming that India is now making ready to current this heritage to the world with pleasure, PM Modi remarked that the Gyan Bharatam Mission is an important a part of this grand initiative.
The Prime Minister highlighted that quite a few establishments throughout the nation are working with the federal government within the spirit of public participation. He named Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha, the Asiatic Society of Kolkata, ‘Dharohar’ of Udaipur, Acharya PM Kailashsuri Gyanmandir in Koba, Gujarat, Patanjali in Haridwar, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune, and Saraswati Mahal Library in Thanjavur. He knowledgeable that with the help of tons of of such establishments, greater than ten lakh manuscripts have been digitised thus far.
PM Modi acknowledged that many voters have come ahead to make their household heritage accessible for the nation, and expressed his gratitude to all these establishments and to each such citizen.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that India has by no means measured its data by financial energy. Quoting the traditional knowledge of Indian sages that data is the best present, he emphasised that in historic instances, the individuals of India donated manuscripts with a spirit of generosity.
PM Modi famous that when the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited India, he carried again greater than 600 manuscripts. He added that many Indian manuscripts reached Japan by way of China.
Highlighting that within the seventh century, these manuscripts have been preserved in Japan’s Horyu-ji Monastery because the nationwide capital, the Prime Minister remarked that even right this moment, many international locations around the globe home India’s historic manuscripts. He additional acknowledged that underneath the Gyan Bharatam Mission, India will even try to unify this shared heritage of humanity.
Mentioning that India initiated this effort throughout the cultural dialogue of the G-20, the Prime Minister burdened that international locations with centuries-old cultural ties to India are being actively engaged on this marketing campaign. He knowledgeable that reprinted volumes of the Mongolian Kanjur have been gifted to the Ambassador of Mongolia. He added that in 2022, these 108 volumes have been additionally distributed to monasteries in Mongolia and Russia.
PM Modi famous that India has signed MoUs with universities in Thailand and Vietnam. He acknowledged that students from these international locations are being educated to digitise historic manuscripts. Highlighting that on account of these efforts, a number of manuscripts in Pali, Lanna, and Cham languages have been digitised, PM Modi affirmed that by the Gyan Bharatam Mission, India will additional broaden these initiatives.
Stating that the Gyan Bharatam Mission will even handle a significant problem, the Prime Minister highlighted that quite a few components of India’s conventional data systems–used for centuries–are usually copied and patented by others. He emphasised the necessity to curb this type of piracy, including that digital manuscripts will speed up efforts to counter such misuse and assist regulate mental piracy.
PM Modi affirmed that the world will achieve entry to genuine and authentic sources throughout varied topics.
Pointing out one other essential dimension of the Gyan Bharatam Mission and its position in unlocking new domains of analysis and innovation, PM Modi famous that the worldwide cultural and inventive trade is valued at roughly $2.5 trillion. He emphasised that digitised manuscripts will feed into the worth chains of this trade.
The Prime Minister remarked that these crores of manuscripts and the traditional data embedded inside them will function an unlimited information financial institution, affirming that it will give a contemporary push to data-driven innovation. Stating that new alternatives will emerge for youth within the tech subject, PM Modi added that as manuscript digitisation progresses, new potentialities will even open up for tutorial analysis.
Noting that to review these digitised manuscripts successfully, using superior applied sciences like Artificial Intelligence have to be elevated, the Prime Minister emphasised that with the assistance of AI, historic manuscripts could be understood in better depth and analysed extra comprehensively.
He remarked that AI can even help in presenting the data contained in these manuscripts to the world in an genuine and impactful method.
Appealing to all youth of the nation to return ahead and actively take part within the Gyan Bharatam Mission, PM Modi emphasised the significance of exploring the previous by know-how. He acknowledged that efforts have to be made to make this information accessible to humanity on the idea of proof.
The Prime Minister additionally urged universities and institutes throughout the nation to take new initiatives on this path. Noting that all the nation is shifting ahead with the spirit of Swadeshi and the resolve of Atmanirbhar Bharat, PM Modi affirmed that this mission is an extension of that nationwide spirit. He acknowledged that India should remodel its heritage into a logo of its energy.
The Prime Minister concluded by expressing confidence that the Gyan Bharatam Mission will mark the start of a brand new chapter for the long run.
Union Ministers PM Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and PM Rao Inderjit Singh have been current amongst different dignitaries on the occasion.
The International Conference on Gyan Bharatam is being held from eleventh to thirteenth September underneath the theme ‘Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy by Manuscript Heritage’. The Conference will deliver collectively main students, conservationists, technologists, and coverage consultants to deliberate on pathways for revitalising India’s unparalleled manuscript wealth, and to position it on the coronary heart of a world data dialogue.
It will even characteristic an exhibition showcasing uncommon manuscripts and scholarly displays on essential areas, together with manuscript conservation, digitisation applied sciences, metadata requirements, authorized frameworks, cultural diplomacy, and the decipherment of historic scripts. (ANI)