Kashmir takes initiative for digitisation of indigenous manuscripts

In an endeavour to preserve the region's cultural heritage and pass the baton to youth, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have undertaken a digitisation drive of rare manuscripts

The digitisation work had started in Srinagar, where the bulk of manuscripts and calligraphy specimen are stored.

Mohammad Ashraf, in charge of the calligraphy wing, said that it would help future generations in relating to the cultural heritage of the state.

"We have started work to preserve our cultural heritage, arts and languages, by collecting them together for our future generation. You are here in our manuscripts section. The cultural academy has preserved around one thousand rarest of the rare manuscripts in a span of fifty years," said Ashraf.

The main objective of the preservation drive is to make it accessible for the youth of the state.

The digitisation drive would enable people from across the world to explore a rare bank of information through the internet.

According to the officials, more than three lakh rare manuscripts and paintings will be digitised within a span of six months.

Scholars and students will benefit, as they would be able to gain access to the manuscripts from the academy's website.

"In the academy of art, culture and languages we have a good collection of manuscripts, paintings, calligraphy specimen and photographs. All these things were kept here and we have been treating the manuscripts with medicines, but it was necessary to preserve them electronically. It will be preserved as prosperity and also the scholars who take interest in reading the manuscripts can read its copies in a digital format," said Khalid Bashir, a secretary of cultural academy.

The digitisation work began with the electronic preservation of copy of the 12th century Holy Quran calligraphed by Fateh Ullah Al-Kashmiri.