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Plans drawn up for Gandhi Heritage Portal
Plans drawn up for Gandhi Heritage Portal
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Plans-drawn-up-for-Gandhi-Heritag...
Indian Express
By Adam Halliday
Based on the recommendations of the Gandhi Heritage Committee, plans for a Gandhi Heritage Portal to house all intellectual heritage of Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy have been drawn up at the Gandhi Ashram.
The committee, headed by Gandhi’s grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, had recommended in November 2008 that all Gandhi heritage be preserved and categorised into physical and intellectual heritage.
The physical heritage sites, mainly the places Gandhi visited and have historical significance, are spread over more than 2,000 locations not only in India, but across the world, requiring diplomatic moves by the Indian government. On the other hand, the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad is believed to house the biggest collection of original intellectual heritage.
According to sources, the plans are on the verge of completion and will be sent to the Ministry of Culture for approval after a few changes and additions, if required. However, the process of forming what they called “one agency in the world that will house all the authentic data” has been completed.
As per the plan, all original intellectual heritage will be identified, collected, catalogued, scanned, fresh laser prints made of these, and the originals relegated to the archives and conserved. The laser prints will be stored in a library. As for the scanned versions, these will be digitised and stored with the proper technologies, and also put online.
“The decision has not been taken yet if the original manuscripts are to be put online,” said a source, adding: “Only catalogues could be available online, and the original manuscripts accessible only after someone who wishes to look at them proves his or her credentials.”
The intellectual heritage have been identified in circles or clusters. The core cluster will be made up of the 100-volume Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (presently being scanned, digitised and reprinted at Gujarat Vidyapith), the Gandhi Chronology by Chandu Dalal, which gives a time-wise document of Gandhi's life, and the conversion of this time-wise document into a location-wise document (meaning synchronising Gandhi's movements with the locations) which is now called The Gandhi Heritage Committee documents.
The second cluster or circle will be what is referred to as 'Gandhiana' or Gandhi's original writings. The third cluster would be the first and original editions of Gandhi's writings compiled in the form of books and essay-compilations, but only those that were published in his lifetime.
The fourth cluster will be the writings of his close associates, including Mahadev Desai, his personal associate, Pyaralal and Tendulkar, and Manu Gandhi among others.
The fifth cluster will comprise the autobiographies of Indian leaders of that time, who referred to Gandhi in their memoirs. The sixth cluster will include the first generation biographies written during Gandhi's lifetime as well as the second generation biographies of Gandhi.
The last cluster will be made up of those documents maintained but not yet declassified by the Home Ministry, CID files during the British rule and those with various other governments.
“The biggest and most important challenge will be the identification, collection and authentication,” the source said, adding that the portal, the library and the archives are likely to be housed at one place, which is yet to be identified.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Plans-drawn-up-for-Gandhi-Heritag...
Indian Express
By Adam Halliday
Based on the recommendations of the Gandhi Heritage Committee, plans for a Gandhi Heritage Portal to house all intellectual heritage of Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy have been drawn up at the Gandhi Ashram.
The committee, headed by Gandhi’s grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, had recommended in November 2008 that all Gandhi heritage be preserved and categorised into physical and intellectual heritage.
The physical heritage sites, mainly the places Gandhi visited and have historical significance, are spread over more than 2,000 locations not only in India, but across the world, requiring diplomatic moves by the Indian government. On the other hand, the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad is believed to house the biggest collection of original intellectual heritage.
According to sources, the plans are on the verge of completion and will be sent to the Ministry of Culture for approval after a few changes and additions, if required. However, the process of forming what they called “one agency in the world that will house all the authentic data” has been completed.
As per the plan, all original intellectual heritage will be identified, collected, catalogued, scanned, fresh laser prints made of these, and the originals relegated to the archives and conserved. The laser prints will be stored in a library. As for the scanned versions, these will be digitised and stored with the proper technologies, and also put online.
“The decision has not been taken yet if the original manuscripts are to be put online,” said a source, adding: “Only catalogues could be available online, and the original manuscripts accessible only after someone who wishes to look at them proves his or her credentials.”
The intellectual heritage have been identified in circles or clusters. The core cluster will be made up of the 100-volume Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (presently being scanned, digitised and reprinted at Gujarat Vidyapith), the Gandhi Chronology by Chandu Dalal, which gives a time-wise document of Gandhi's life, and the conversion of this time-wise document into a location-wise document (meaning synchronising Gandhi's movements with the locations) which is now called The Gandhi Heritage Committee documents.
The second cluster or circle will be what is referred to as 'Gandhiana' or Gandhi's original writings. The third cluster would be the first and original editions of Gandhi's writings compiled in the form of books and essay-compilations, but only those that were published in his lifetime.
The fourth cluster will be the writings of his close associates, including Mahadev Desai, his personal associate, Pyaralal and Tendulkar, and Manu Gandhi among others.
The fifth cluster will comprise the autobiographies of Indian leaders of that time, who referred to Gandhi in their memoirs. The sixth cluster will include the first generation biographies written during Gandhi's lifetime as well as the second generation biographies of Gandhi.
The last cluster will be made up of those documents maintained but not yet declassified by the Home Ministry, CID files during the British rule and those with various other governments.
“The biggest and most important challenge will be the identification, collection and authentication,” the source said, adding that the portal, the library and the archives are likely to be housed at one place, which is yet to be identified.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Morgana Washington on -
Hurrah for this! A huge job, but well worth it for generations to come.
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Permalink Reply by Balamurali Balaji on -
It is a welcome move by the GOI. But....?
Hope it won't get into a sorry state of ruins as many GOI controlled Gandhi museums, libraries stand today just as un-attended, deserted .. bungalows.
If the GOI wants to preserve the Gandhi Heritage, it must learn to find and protect the people who hails the Gandhian culture. The Ministry of Culture has less to do with this Gandhian heritage and as of now it has to undergo a full overhaul.
-BB
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Permalink Reply by GandhiServe Foundation on -
Brilliant, Bala, brilliant - I fully agree with you!
The two major brains behind this move, Gopal Gandhi and Tridip Suhrud, would be capable to implement this plan but when I read that Sabarmati Ashram applies for a Rs. 350 cr budget I start shivering knowing the ashram's attitude toward funds...
I can very well visualize the new villas constructed by and for the key persons involved, powerful cars, lavish holiday - oh, sorry, research - trips etc. etc.
Only when hypocracy is eleminated from the Gandhian institutions constructive work can begin.
And that's still a long way to go.
Best, Peter
Admin, GT
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Permalink Reply by Morgana Washington on
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Peter and Bala: Being unfamiliar with the politics inside of India and residing in a different country, I must ask you to enlighten all of us as to how this virtual community can help in this project and see to it that it does not fall into unelightened and disreputable hands. I await your replies...can we help????
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Permalink Reply by Balamurali Balaji on
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Thanks Morgana for the reply.
Actually, the very idea of bringing a Government running portal is prone to get into the corruptive hands, not just disreputable hands. The people behind this move must have shown lasting support for non-corruption and be apt to shy away from emerging politics around it in the department where the portal is gonna be. And, surely and currently, the government does not ensure such requirements and situations and is really in need of a private support inthe form of consulting, administeting or running the portal.
Our main worry is that no department is free from nonchalant, corruptive attitude and the legacy of Gandhi cannot afford to put itself into such a meagre trauma.
Hope I made it clear.
-BB
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Permalink Reply by Morgana Washington on
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I am a little confused: Is Bapuji's grandson going to put this portal together? I thought it would be a privately run operation. How and/or why would the government be involved at all? Why MUST the gov't be brought in on such an important endeavor? It SHOULD be privately built, run and operated, perhaps by an elected or selected group of individuals who are true to the Gandhian legacy. I think I must go back and re-read the article!
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Permalink Reply by Uma Majmudar on -
It is truly a "Bhagirath karya," that is, a "Monumental undertaking"! It is an idea whose time has not only come, but is desperately needed! To compile, classify, categorize and preserve all the Gandhi-written and Gandhi related material under one archive, and to make it accessible to scholars, students, researchers and general readers is no doubt an arduous and challenging task, but it is worth undertaking.
I only hope and pray that this mighty project comes through without delay!
Wishing lots of luck,
Uma Majmudar
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Permalink Reply by Morgana Washington on
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I see, the Ministry of Culture must approve it??? Why?
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Permalink Reply by Dipak Dholakia on -
Ministry of Culture has to have its say everywhere especially when funds are involved. Such a huge fund...paradoxically, and for reasons known to all, it will ensure approval, we know !The project will be approved and Peter and Balaji will unfortunately prove right.
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Permalink Reply by Morgana Washington on
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A most unfortunate state of affairs then! This should be a no-brainer...why must something like this be so complicated? I know, it's a rhetorical question, really.
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Permalink Reply by Balamurali Balaji on
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As DD said, the project will be approved and hopefully it will be run to the best of the efforts of Gandhi's grandson. But, if an entity is organized and controlled by the GOI, like Ministry of Culture, it is quite clear, even he can't help. The lust and glory of Bapu's legacy is under stake. It is surely inevitable by any department.
My suggestion for the GOI to get some outside controllers as well, besides getting Gandhi's family members for providing timely advice to that entity. There are many Gandhians outside the government and they are there mainly for this purpose of preserving the integrity of the Mahatma's legacy. Technically, the GOI can also ensure the quality and lust of the legacy and this would be a great and valuable tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
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