National Archives of India Celebrates 135th Foundation Day with Exhibition on Architectural Heritage

The exhibition provided a deep exploration of India’s vast cultural and historical legacy as reflected in its diverse architectural marvels.

New Delhi, March 11, 2025 – The National Archives of India (NAI) marked its 135th Foundation Day with a grand exhibition titled “Indian Heritage through Architecture.” The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of Culture & Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who lauded the NAI’s contributions to preserving India’s documentary heritage.

Showcasing India’s Architectural Legacy

The exhibition provided a deep exploration of India’s vast cultural and historical legacy as reflected in its diverse architectural marvels. Spanning thousands of years, the showcase included structures from the Indus Valley Civilization, medieval temple architecture, Mughal monuments, and colonial-era buildings. These structures narrate India’s evolving architectural styles, spiritual depth, and socio-political history.

The exhibition was thoughtfully categorized into thematic clusters, each highlighting the historical, cultural, and spiritual significance of India’s iconic structures. A significant highlight was the display of original archival records, offering visitors a rare glimpse into government files, private papers of eminent personalities, excavation reports, UNESCO documents, and rare books from the NAI Library.

India’s Largest Digitization Drive

During his address, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat underscored NAI’s pioneering role in digitizing India’s rich archival heritage. He revealed that the NAI is currently undertaking the world’s largest digitization program, processing over six lakh pages every month. The overwhelming success of this initiative has led to the launch of the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’, an ambitious project aimed at expanding digital access to India’s vast knowledge repositories.

Launch of ‘Thumb Printed: Champaran, Indigo Peasants Speak to Gandhi, Volume III’

A key highlight of the celebrations was the release of the book ‘Thumb Printed: Champaran, Indigo Peasants Speak to Gandhi, Volume III.’ This volume presents 423 testimonies from the historic Champaran Satyagraha, including statements from 143 principal testators, five women, 11 minors, 76 signatories, and four individuals without a signature or thumb impression. The book offers an invaluable firsthand account of India’s freedom struggle and Gandhi’s early activism.

Legacy of the National Archives of India

Established as the Imperial Record Department on March 11, 1891, in Kolkata, the NAI was relocated to New Delhi following the capital shift in 1911. The current NAI building, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was completed in 1926, with record transfers finalized in 1937. Today, the NAI serves as the nodal agency for the Public Records Act, 1993, and the Public Record Rules, 1997, ensuring the systematic preservation of historical documents.

Currently, the NAI houses over 34 crore pages of Public Records, including files, volumes, maps, treaties, rare manuscripts, cartographic records, parliamentary debates, censuses, travel accounts, proscribed literature, and government gazettes. Its vast collection includes rare records in Sanskrit, Persian, Odia, and other languages, further enriching India’s historical narrative.

A Commitment to Preserving History for Future Generations

The 135th Foundation Day celebrations reinforced the National Archives of India’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding history, fostering research, and engaging the public. Through its initiatives in digitization, archival conservation, and cultural outreach, the NAI remains at the forefront of preserving India’s documentary heritage for future generations.