CCRAS and Berhampur University Sign MoU to Digitize Rare Ayurvedic Manuscripts.
Bhubaneswar:
In a significant step towards preserving and promoting India’s rich traditional medical heritage, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), under the Ministry of Ayush, and Berhampur University, Odisha, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to digitize, catalogue, and publish rare Ayurvedic manuscripts and palm-leaf documents housed at the South Odisha Cultural Study Centre (SOCSC).
The MoU signing ceremony will take place at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Bhubaneswar, in the august presence of Prof. Geetanjali Das, Vice Chancellor, Berhampur University; Prof. (Vaidya) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, New Delhi; and Prof. B. S. Prasad, Former President, National Council for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM). The collaboration will be implemented through the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH), Hyderabad, a peripheral institute of CCRAS.
Preserving Ancient Knowledge through Modern Technology
Berhampur University is home to a rare and valuable collection of over 2,000 palm-leaf manuscripts, many of which contain classical Ayurvedic knowledge that remains unpublished and largely inaccessible to scholars and practitioners. Under this collaborative initiative, CCRAS–NIIMH will deploy advanced digitization and archival techniques to preserve these fragile manuscripts and ensure their long-term conservation.
Key Features of the Collaboration
- Comprehensive Digitization: Rare Ayurvedic manuscripts, books, and periodicals will be digitized, with digital copies made available to Berhampur University.
- Descriptive Cataloguing: A detailed reference work titled “Descriptive Catalogue of Ayurveda Manuscripts of SOCSC–Berhampur University, Odisha” will be prepared, incorporating 44 standardized data fields to facilitate academic research.
- Global Access: Metadata of the manuscripts will be made accessible worldwide through the AMAR (Ayush Manuscripts Advanced Repository) Portal.
- Research and Publication: Selected manuscripts will undergo transcription, transliteration, and translation into modern languages, enabling the integration of classical Ayurvedic wisdom into contemporary research and healthcare discourse.
Institutional Perspectives
Prof. (Vaidya) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, stated that the initiative aligns with a national mission to systematically document, validate, and disseminate India’s traditional knowledge systems using scientific and ethical frameworks. Prof. Geetanjali Das, Vice Chancellor, Berhampur University, noted that the partnership would not only safeguard the physical integrity of rare manuscripts but also elevate the university’s role as a global center for cultural, historical, and medical heritage studies.
Timeline, Ethics, and Coordination
The MoU will initially be valid for a period of two years. Both institutions have committed to maintaining strict confidentiality, ethical standards, and intellectual property rights. While Berhampur University will retain custodianship of the manuscripts, their scholarly content will be responsibly shared for public benefit.
The programme is being coordinated by Dr. M. M. Rao, Director, CARI Bhubaneswar; Dr. Sarada Ota, Assistant Director (Ayurveda), CARI Bhubaneswar; and Dr. Santosh Mane, Research Officer (Ayurveda), NIIMH Hyderabad. The ceremony will be attended by officers and staff of CARI Bhubaneswar, along with officials and dignitaries from Berhampur University.
This landmark collaboration marks a vital convergence of antiquity and technology, ensuring that India’s priceless Ayurvedic heritage is preserved, studied, and shared with the world.
