63rd session of Indian Historical Records Committee begins in Lucknow

The 63rd session of the Indian Historical Records Committee (IHRC) began in Lucknow on Sunday, officials said.

The IHRC is an all-India forum of creators, custodians and users of records which was set up in 1919 to advice the government on all issues connected with the management of records and their use for historical research.

The National Archives of India (NAI) in New Delhi is the secretariat of Indian Historical Records Commission (redesignated Indian Historical Records Committee in 2011).

The two-day session at Uttar Pradesh State Archives was inaugurated by Daya Shankar Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Transport Department in the state government, a senior NAI official said.

Director General, NAI, Chandan Sinha presented a report on the development of archives, officials said.

A total of 24 academic papers are to be presented by scholars in the two-day event, some of which were presented during an academic session held on Sunday.

An exhibition titled ''Saga of Freedom: Known and Lesser-Known Struggles'' based on the original archival sources from the collection of the NAI was also inaugurated during the event.

A heritage walk has been planned for delegates on Monday morning followed by an academic session, the officials said.

The IHRC is headed by the Union minister of culture and comprises 134 members including agencies of the Government of India, nominees of the central government, representatives from archives at various states and Union Territories, universities and institutions, they said.