Digitization of seven crore records of princely states from 18th to 20th century is taking place.
Madhya Pradesh Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums.
HighLights
Records of about 20 princely states will be uploaded on the portal. Princely states ruling Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are included. Scanning of one million records of Holkar dynasty was done in eight months.
Prashant Vyas, Navdunia representative, Bhopal. Important documents of about 20 princely states that ruled Central India from 1798 to 1956 are being digitized. A total of seven crore records of these princely states, which ruled for more than one hundred and fifty years, are being uploaded online. In these, one can get information about the customs and policies of governance of historical princely states. Besides, the social and political systems of hundreds of years ago will also be made available to the general public for the first time.
Madhya Pradesh Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums had started the work of digitization from February this year, in which till the month of September, about 10 lakh records of Holkar dynasty have been scanned. Soon the work of uploading them on the portal will also be started.
Inscriptions are written in English, Hindi, Urdu and Persian languages.
Nilesh Lokhande, Deputy Director of the department, says that at the time of formation of Madhya Pradesh, historical documents of all the major princely states ruling in Central India were collected. These include about 20 small and big princely states of the state including Scindia state and Bhopal state along with Holkar dynasty. Along with the important records of these princely states, some documents of the British rule are also being digitized. These inscriptions are in English, Hindi, Modi, Urdu and Persian languages. The department is currently scanning such documents which are in very dilapidated condition. After the creation of the online portal, the work of uploading them will also be started.
Researchers from India and abroad do research with the help of records.
Lokhande said that these records are made available from time to time to researchers in the country and abroad for research work. Every year about 50 researchers use these records for their research work. Besides, information related to government and non-government demand letters is also provided. Apart from this, exhibitions are organized at different places with the aim of making the general public aware of the archival heritage. Due to digitization, all the information will be available to them online.
they say
With the aim of preserving the archival heritage, historical and important documents are being digitized through e-tender. From the records of the princely states, researchers and common people interested in history will be able to know about the social and political systems that are hundreds of years old.
Urmila Shukla, Commissioner, Madhya Pradesh Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums
