GUWAHATI : Assam marked a major cultural milestone on January 23 with the classical heritage of the Assamese language receiving prominent recognition at Granth Kutir, a newly inaugurated manuscript and book repository at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The archive was formally inaugurated by President of India Droupadi Murmu and showcases rare manuscripts and books from 11 Indian languages that have been accorded classical status, including Assamese. The initiative highlights India’s rich literary and intellectual traditions while underscoring the growing national emphasis on preserving classical languages.

The inclusion of Assamese manuscripts comes a little over a year after the Government of India conferred classical language status on Assamese on October 3, 2024. Granth Kutir houses nearly 2,300 books and around 50 manuscripts representing Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali. Several of these manuscripts are handwritten on traditional materials such as palm leaves, bark, cloth and handmade paper.

Conceived as a dedicated space for preserving India’s intellectual heritage, Granth Kutir covers a wide range of subjects including epics, philosophy, linguistics, science, governance, history and devotional literature. The repository also features the Constitution of India rendered in classical languages. Ancient works that underpin the classical status of these languages-such as the Charyapadas, shared by Assamese, Bengali and Odia traditions-form a key part of the collection.

The project has been developed through collaboration between central and state governments, universities, research institutions, cultural organisations and individual donors. It has received institutional support from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, while the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts is providing technical expertise in conservation, documentation, management and display of manuscripts.

Addressing the gathering, President Murmu said India’s classical languages form the bedrock of the nation’s culture and have guided global knowledge systems for centuries, including science, Ayurveda, yoga, mathematics, astronomy and literature. She noted that the wisdom preserved in these languages continues to remain relevant and has played a vital role in shaping modern Indian languages.

Emphasising that preservation of classical languages is a shared responsibility, the President called for greater encouragement of classical studies in universities, wider availability of classical texts in libraries and increased efforts to motivate young people to learn at least one classical language. She expressed confidence that Granth Kutir would emerge as a lasting source of inspiration, particularly for future generations.

The initiative aligns with the national vision of shedding colonial legacies and strengthening unity in diversity. It also complements the Gyan Bharatam Mission, which aims to preserve, digitise and disseminate India’s manuscript heritage by integrating traditional knowledge with modern technology.

Visitors to Rashtrapati Bhavan will be able to view selected manuscripts during guided tours, while researchers can access digitised collections through an online portal and apply for physical access where required. Colonial-era collections previously housed at the site have been relocated within the Rashtrapati Bhavan estate and digitised for public access.

The inauguration was attended by Minister of State for Culture Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary, along with scholars, donors and representatives from various states.