GUWAHATI: In a historic achievement for Assamese literature, more than 1.28 million pages of rare manuscripts, journals, and books have been digitised successfully. According to Narayan Sharma, president of the Assam Jatiya Bidyalay (AJB) Educational and Socio-Economic Trust, this 36-month-long endeavour is an important step toward the preservation and promotion of the rich literary heritage of Assam.
The digitized collection comprises 26,000 'Xasipats' and manuscripts on Vaishnavism, Buddhism, and Assamese traditions. According to Sharma, this digital archive is a treasure trove for researchers, students, and the global Assamese community as Assam's timeless legacy finds a new voice through modern technology.
This project is a joint collaboration between Nanda Talukdar Foundation (NTF) and AJB Educational and Socio-Economic Trust, in collaboration with Asam Sahitya Sabha, Dibrugarh University, and corporate partners including Oil India Limited, NRL, and ONGC. The digitized materials include nearly all editions of "Orundoi," the first magazine from Assam, along with other notable publications like "Bahi," "Abahan," and "Ramdhenu."
The repository also has 33,970 books and 41,071 journal issues, all free to access. The second phase of the project would include OCR-AI technology that would allow keyword-based advanced search, which would further enhance the accessibility of researchers and scholars, according to NTF secretary Mrinal Talukdar.
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