Centres of Excellence for minority literary heritage

Centres of Excellence for minority literary heritage

Ministry of Minority Affairs approved the establishment of Centre for Jain Manuscriptology at Gujarat University. This will create a dedicated, state-of-the-art facility for the digitisation and conservation of invaluable Jain manuscripts. This initiative under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) aims to promote and preserve the rich literary heritage of Jainism.

Ministry of Minority Affairs organized a national workshop on the significance of Jain Manuscriptology on 19th July, 2025 at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. The workshop was conducted under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), with the aim of promoting and preserving the rich literary heritage of Jainism.The workshop was attended by the scholars, researchers, cultural experts and community leaders who highlighted the significance of Jain manuscripts.

Following were the outcomes of the workshop:

Under PMJVK, the Ministry approved the project to the University of Gujarat for the establishment of a Centre for Jain Manuscriptology at Gujarat University to create a dedicated, state-of-the-art infrastructure for Digitization and conservation of Jain manuscripts.The Ministry collaborated with these Universities to set up Centres of Excellence for minority literary heritage.

The following five projects have been approved under PMJVK and their details are as under: 

 

Sl.No

Name of the Project

University

Related Minority Community

Objective of project

Centre of Excellence in

Minority Heritage

Languages and Cultural

Studies

University of Mumbai

Parsi & Buddhist

To promote research in Avesta-Pahlavi, Pali and Prakrit, and preserve heritage languages and traditions.

Centre for Advanced Studies in Buddhist Studies

University of Delhi

Buddhist

To promote advanced academic research, fostering Bharat-centric perspectives, preserving cultural heritage, and encouraging interdisciplinary and institutional collaboration.

Centre for Gurumukhi Script

Khalsa College, University of Delhi

Sikh

To preserve, promote, and teach Gurumukhi script using digital tools, community support, and interactive platforms.

Centre for Jain Manuscriptology

Gujarat University

Jain

To digitize and conserve Jain manuscripts with proper metadata and cataloguing, while establishing training and research facilities in manuscriptology.

Centre for Jain Studies

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), Indore

Jain

To promote Jain heritage and culture through academic programs, research and global collaboration.

 

This information was given by the Union Minister of Minority Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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