New Delhi, Sep 12 : The launch of the Gyan Bharatam Portal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been hailed as a landmark achievement in preserving and promoting India's vast manuscript heritage. The portal aims to digitally catalogue, preserve, and share India's priceless ancient knowledge contained in millions of manuscripts, many of which have been scattered across the world.

Experts, students, and scholars from across India and neighbouring countries have expressed their excitement and appreciation for this historic initiative, which they believe will elevate India's intellectual heritage to a global platform.

Dr. Puneet Gupta, a renowned manuscript expert, described the portal as a 'huge international-level boost' for India's manuscript heritage. He emphasised that India holds over a crore manuscripts, whose knowledge streams have influenced civilisations worldwide over thousands of years.

Dr. Gupta said: 'This digital link and the eight expert committees formed by the Prime Minister will ensure these manuscripts are not only preserved but interpreted and presented as global heritage.'

Student Akshat Bundela called the portal 'a very big global achievement".

He highlighted the use of AI in digitising manuscripts and said the initiative is a strong foundation towards building a developed India by 2047.

'This portal also empowers youth leadership, and the government's effort to bring back manuscripts sent abroad is commendable,' he added.

Divya from Indian Institute of Heritage pointed out the importance of digitization for researchers.

She said: 'Many manuscripts have remained in private hands, inaccessible to the public. This portal will provide us access to invaluable knowledge.' She also admired the Prime Minister's deep understanding of manuscripts and his charismatic presence at the launch event.

Dr. Surendra Kumar Sharma, coordinator from Rajasthan, lauded the Prime Minister for revitalising India's global traditions through this portal.

'For centuries, this knowledge was confined to museums and collections. Now, through this portal, it will reach every household,' he said. Dr. Sharma stressed the urgent need for thorough data collection and urged community institutions to collaborate with the government for publishing and disseminating this knowledge.

Neeraj Dahal, Assistant Professor at Nepal Sanskrit University, appreciated India's responsibility towards preserving Sanskrit knowledge.

'This initiative integrates various ongoing efforts across states, making it easier for researchers to access manuscripts,' he said. He viewed the portal as a vital step toward unified preservation and study of manuscripts.

Himachal Pradesh student Kunal Bhardwaj found inspiration in the Prime Minister's address.

'We learned a lot and felt motivated. Bringing manuscripts back to India and conserving them is crucial for future generations. This mission will help discover new knowledge and benefit the world,' he shared.

Rajasthan's Jitendra Meghwal remarked on the portal's work regarding manuscript museums, their digitization, and study methods. He appreciated the Prime Minister's passion for manuscripts and his efforts to repatriate Indian manuscripts from abroad. 'This was the first time I saw the Prime Minister up close. His interest in manuscripts is truly impressive,' he added.

Markandeya Tiwari from Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, Delhi, called the government's plan 'extensive and promising.' He believes the portal will restore India's status as the 'world's guru' by conserving and promoting ancient manuscripts.

'The exhibition showcased many previously unknown manuscripts, highlighting the importance of their preservation,' he said.

PhD scholar Prachi reflected on the cultural depth revealed by the Prime Minister's speech. 'He reminded us that to understand India, one must understand its culture and manuscripts, which are the source of our ancient knowledge. We are on the path to reclaiming our position as a global knowledge leader,' she said, expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister.

Pankaj Kumar Sharma of Koba Gyan Mandir explained the importance of consolidating manuscripts onto a single platform. 'Each manuscript contains hundreds of texts. Currently, there is no complete cataloguing system. Once this is done, it will be much easier for Indians and the world to access this knowledge,' he noted. He also praised the Prime Minister's visit to Mongolia to study their manuscript preservation efforts.

Dr. Uttam Singh from Agartala described the Gyan Bharatam portal as a great opportunity for scholars and youth to access and research ancient scriptures that remained unpublished for centuries. 'This will immensely benefit researchers and bring forgotten knowledge to light,' he said.

Research scholar Shivani shared her experience of seeing Prime Minister Modi for the first time in person. She recalled how the Prime Minister mentioned the Mongolian manuscripts and their connection to Indian epics like the Ramayana. 'His knowledge of manuscript technology, especially at centres like Nalanda and Mysore, is impressive,' she remarked.

Other voices like Ganesh, Ashish Kankariya from Pune, and Hemant, a PhD student from Rajasthan University, echoed similar sentiments, appreciating the portal's potential to unlock India's ancient knowledge treasure.

/IANS