Mysuru: In a significant step towards preserving India’s rich manuscript heritage, the Mysuru-based Oriental Research Institute (ORI), affiliated to the University of Mysore, has entered into an agreement with the Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya Mahasamsthana Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri.

The collaboration aims to catalogue and preserve thousands of ancient, unpublished manuscripts. As part of the project, scholars from both institutions will prepare a detailed descriptive catalogue of approximately 13,000 unpublished manuscripts.

In addition, they will select key works from the collection for publication in book form and digitise the catalogues to create a searchable online database for scholarly access.

The mutual agreement for this Rs. 92.4 lakh initiative was signed by M.K. Savitha, Registrar of the University of Mysore, and P.A. Murali, Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. This collaboration marks a major milestone in the effort to conserve and make accessible the vast storehouse of traditional knowledge embedded in ancient manuscripts.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. N.K. Lokanath, Director of the Oriental Research Institute Dr. D.P. Madhusudhanacharya, and scholars from both ORI and the Sringeri Peetham.