New Delhi, Dec 9: The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, today organised a special workshop on Script and Manuscript Preservation during the ongoing 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH 20COM) in New Delhi.
A delegation from Arunachal Pradesh—comprising Mamta Riba, Secretary (Art & Culture & Civil Aviation), Lt Col T.C. Tayum, OSD (Research) & Nodal Officer, Gyan Bharatam Mission, and Manyu, Assistant Director, Department of Art & Culture—attended the workshop, which was chaired by Vivek Aggarwal Secretary, Ministry of Culture.
During the meeting, Secretary Mamta Riba highlighted Arunachal Pradesh’s extraordinary manuscript traditions, including the Lik-Thai manuscripts of Namsai, the ancient Buddhist Kangyur scriptures, and other rare Buddhist and indigenous manuscripts. She expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture for its continued guidance under the Gyan Bharatam Mission and appealed for support in scientific conservation, systematic documentation, and modern archival infrastructure to safeguard these priceless cultural treasures.
A detailed presentation on the Gyan Bharatam Mission was delivered by Lt Col T.C. Tayum, showcasing extensive field documentation carried out in Tawang, West Kameng, Shi-Yomi, Upper Siang, and Namsai districts. The presentation revealed the discovery of rare manuscripts and traditional scripts, including texts containing episodes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana—a significant indication of deep historical and literary interlinkages among the communities of Arunachal Pradesh. The presentation further underscored the urgent risks posed by age, climatic vulnerabilities, and inadequate archival facilities, and outlined a structured roadmap for preservation, digitisation, capacity-building, and cultural continuity.
Responding to the presentation, the Secretary, Ministry of Culture, commended the proactive initiatives of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and assured immediate central support. He announced that a Central Expert Team will soon visit all five districts—Tawang, West Kameng, Shi-Yomi, Upper Siang, and Namsai—to begin scientific documentation, digitisation, and conservation of manuscripts, including the Lik-Thai texts, the Kangyur collection, other ancient manuscripts, and the Mahabharata- and Ramayana-based texts identified during field surveys.
He further informed that a Dedicated Manuscript and Digitisation Support Cell for Arunachal Pradesh will be established in the Ministry to ensure coordinated and long-term assistance to the State.
The state government appreciated the Ministry’s assurances and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the State’s rich manuscript and script heritage under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, envisioned to become a major contributor to the national digital repository.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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